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ILL.  No.  2.     AUTOPRINT  (SKLF-PRINT)    OF    Kl'NZITK   CRYSTAL. 
Made  by  exposing  crystal  to  the  Roentgen  ray  for  live  minutes,  and  then  laying  it  upon  the  photographic  pla 


Bulletin  No.  37. 


5an  Francisco,  June,  1905. 


Gems,  Jewelers'  Materials, 
and  Ornamental  5tones  of 
California    ^    ^    ^    ^    ^ 


Issued  by  the 

California  5tate  Mining  Bureau 

Ferry  Building,  San  Francisco. 


Lewis  L.  Aubury,  5tate  Mineralogist. 


.  W.  Shannon 

Sacramento : 

1905. 

Superintendent  State  Printing 

V                  or 

EARTH 

SCIENCES 
I.'BRARY 


-ri 


•gr 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 

To  Hon.  George  C.  Pardee,  Governor  of  California,  and  the  Honorable 
the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau: 

Gentlemen:  I  have  the  honor  to  transmit  Bulletin  Xo.  37,  "Gems, 
Jewelers'  Materials,  and  Ornamental  Stones  of  California,"  which  has 
been  compiled  by  George  F.  Kunz,  A.M.,  Ph.D. 

The  industry  of  which  this  Bulletin  treats  is  comparatively  a  new  one 
in  this  State,  but  it  is  of  growing  importance,  as  the  increasing  annual 
value  of  the  output  of  the  subjects  enumerated  will  testify  to. 

Much  care  has  been  exercised  in  the  field  investigations,  and  a  very 
complete  examination  has  been  made  of  all  of  the  various  deposits 
which  have  been  found. 

The  greatest  courtesy  has  been  shoAvn  to  Field  Assistants  by  the 
owners  of  the  deposits,  and  much  needed  assistance  has  been  extended 
in  many  ways.  I  shall  not  mention  specifically  the  parties  to  whom 
the  thanks  of  this  department  are  owing,  but  due  recognition  is  given 
by  Dr.  Kunz  at  the  conclusion  of  the  introductory  chapter,  under  the 
heading  "  Recognition. " 

To  all  who  have  aided  in  the  preparation  of  this  report,  and  who  have 
loaned  and  donated  specimens  to  our  Museum  from  their  mines,  I  again 
wish  to  extend  the  thanks  of  this  department. 

To  Dr.  George  Kunz,  the  Bureau  is  highly  indebted  for  the  great  care 
he  has  exercised  in  the  preparation  of  the  work,  and  without  his  assist- 
ance, and  the  use  of  the  valuable  data  he  has  collected  concerning  the 
Gem  Industry  in  California,  this  publication  would  be  far  from 
complete,  and  in  extending  our  thanks  to  him,  I  do  so  with  a  full 
knowledge  of  the  valuable  assistance  he  has  rendered. 
Very  respectfully, 

LEWIS  E.  AUBURY, 


State  Mineralogist. 


San  Francisco,  June  30,  1905. 


CONTENTS. 


Page. 

INTKODUCTION         --------------  9 

DI-\MOND         ---------------  36 

CORUNDUM         ---------------  45 

TOPAZ       ----------------  46 

SPINEL          ----------------  47 

BERYL      ----------------  48 

OARNET       ----------------  50 

TOURMALINE        --------------  54 

in^ARTZ        ----------------  64 

CHALCEDONY        ---,-----------  71 

CHRYS0PRA8E          --------------  74 

OPAL      ----------------  75 

ALBITE     ----------------  78 

ORTHOCLASE     ---------------  79 

GRAPHIC  GRANITE    -------------  79 

LABRADORITE-        --------------  80 

DIOPSIDE         ---------------  80 

ENSTATITE          ---------------  80 

SPODUMENE  (KUNZITE)  ------------  81 

VESUVIANITE  (CALIFORNITE)  -        ----------  93 

PECTOLITE     ---------------  95 

AXINITE      ----------------  96 

JADE          ----------------  96 

DATOLITE  ----------------  97 

APOPHYLLITE      --------------  97 

LAPIS  LAZULI   ------- -        .        -  98 

ANDALUSITE         --------------  98 

EPIDOTE      -------- 99 

AGALMATOLITE  --------------  100 

LEPIDOLITE       ---------------  100 

CHRYSOCOLLA      --------------  101 

APATITE      ----------------  102 

FLUORITE       ---------------  102 


0  CONTENTS. 

Page. 

ANHYDRITK 102 

GYPSUM los 

COAL - 104 

HEMATITK      ---....... 1(,4 

GOTHITE 105 

CASSITERITK 105 

imOOKITE  .--..---.. 106 

AZURITE  AND  ^FALACHITE    ...........  UMi 

TURQUOISE         - 107 

AMBER 110 

CARBONATE  OF  LIME    .-.---.......  no 

ORBICULAR  DIORITE         ............  112 

CAT'S-EYE  ................  114 

OBSIDIAN        -...-.-..-...-.  114 

PEARL      .--.-...-..-....  115 

ABALONE 111^ 

GEM  MINES  IN  CALIFORNIA        ..........  121 

APPENDIX-CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU 159> 


LIST  OF  ILLUSTRATIONS. 


Page. 
No.    1.     Relief  map  of  California Folder 

2.  Autoprint  (self-print)  of  Kunzite  Crystal.     Made  by  exposing  crystal  to  the 

Roentgen  ray  for  five    minutes,  and  then  laying  it  upon  the   photo- 
graphic plate Frontispiece 

3.  Weathered  mass  of  "  Line-Rock,  "  showing  garnet  interlineations  in  the 

compact  f eldspa r -  - -     15 

4.  Orbicular  Diorite,  Dehesa,  San  Diego  County.     Weathered  surface,  showing 

the  structure 15 

5.  Pala  Mountain.     View  looking  west.     Pegmatite  ledges  as  white  lines 16 

6.  Bridal  Chamber,  Lepidolite  Mine,  showing  tourmaline  crystals  embedded 

in  the  rock 22 

7.  Diamond,  natural  crystal,  found  at  Volcano,  Amador  County 41 

8.  Rough  diamond,  found  in  "  Spring  Valley  Hj^draulic  Mine,"  Cherokee  Flat, 

Butte  County . 41 

9.  Topaz  crystal  (natural  size).     Ramona,  San  Diego  County 46 

10.  Topaz  crystals  (natural  size)  on  crystallized  Albite,  Ramona,  San  Diego 

County 47 

11.  Town  of  Pala,  San  Diego  County,  view  looking  east,  showing  Indian  houses    56 

12.  Belfry  of  "Old  Spanish  Church"  at  Pala 57 

13.  Pala  Mountain.     View  of  the  Lithia  Mine,  showing  workings  and  dump. 

Lepidolite  with  Rubellite 58 

14.  Red  Tourmaline  crystals  on  Quartz  crystals,  Mesa  Grande 60 

15.  Pala  Chief  Mine,  Pala.     Southwestern  end  of  workings,  looking  east 61 

16.  Pala  Mountain,  San  Diego  County,  Lepidolite  Mine — near  view  of  the  dump  6.3 

17.  Quartz  crystals  from  Placerville,  El  Dorado  County 65 

18.  Outcrop  of  Rose  Quartz.    Free  Zone,  near  the  Mexican  line,  San  Diego  County  67 

19.  Pebbles  from  Pescadero  Beach,  San  Mateo  County 72 

20.  Pebble  Beach,  Redondo,  Los  Angeles  County 73 

21.  Moonstone  Beach,  Catalina  Island,  Los  Angeles  County 78 

22.  Kunzite  crystal,  Sickler  Mines,  Pala 85 

23.  Autoprint  from  crystal  of  Kunzite  exposed  to  the  X  ray  for  ten  minutes, 

and  exposed  to  the  plate  for  five  minutes . 89 

24.  Entrance  to  Lepidolite  Mine  at  Pala 101 

25.  Orbicular  Diorite  Mine,  Dehesa,  San  Diego  County— near  view  of  outcrop..  113 

26.  Pebble  Beach  at  Pescadero,  San  Mateo  County 113 

27.  Coahuila  Mountain  (general  view),  Riverside  County:  Beryl,  Kunzite,  and 

Gem  Tourmaline 122 

28.  Fano  (Simmons)  Mine,  Riverside  Countv.     View  of  ridge,  looking  north..  123 


8  LIST    OF    ILLUSTRATIONS. 

Page. 

No.  12!).  SifWidi  Lilliia  Miiic(\v('wt  end  of  tuiiiii'l ),  I'ala  .Mdiiiitaiii,  San  DiegoCounty  125 

80.  Pala  Cliicf  .Mine,  Pala,  San  Diego  County 126 

HI.  Pala  Chief  ^[ine.     Pocket  line  at  tlie  point  where  the  largest  pocket  of 

Kunzite  crystals  occnrred 127 

S2.  Naylor-Vanderburg  Mine,  Heriart  Mountain,  San  DiegoCounty,  view  look- 
ing southwest 180 

33.  Naylor-Vandcrl)urg  Mine,  showing  workings : 131 

34.  Naylor-Vanderburg  Mine,  "Naylor  rock,  "  showing  pegmatite  above,  zone 

of  pockets  and  banded  "line-rock  "  below 131 

.3.5.  Mount  Heriart  (taken  from  south,  one  mile) 132 

36.  Himalaya  Tourmaline  Mine,  Mesa  Grande,  San  Diego  County 134 

37.  Esmeralda  Mine,  Mesa  Grande.    Tunnel,  looking  east 1.36 

38.  Mack  Beryl  Mine,  Rincon,  San  Diego  County.     View  from  the  south 138 

31).  Mack  Dcryl  Mine,  portion  of  the  ledge  about  eight  feet  thick 139 

40.  Eamona  District,  San  Diego  County,  general  view  of  ledges,  looking  north  140 

41.  A  B  C  Mine,  Pvamona,  San  DiegoCounty 141 

42.  Little  Three  Mine,  Ramona.     Sorting  Topaz,  Beryl,  and  Essonite  Garnet.     143 

43.  Little  Three  Mine,  lower  workings  at  east  end --   143 

44.  Little  Three  Mine,  wall  rock,  showing  lines  of  small  black  Tourmaline 14,5 

45.  Hercules  Mine,  Ramona.     Essonite  Garnet  and  Beryl 148 

46.  Prospect  Mine,  Ramona,  general  view.     Essonite  Garnet 151 

47.  Prospect  Mine,  Ramona,  showing  ledge  and  opening 151 

48.  Office  of  State  Alining  Bureau,  Ferry  Building,  San  Francisco..- 158 

49.  Mineral  Museum,  State  Mining  Bureau . 161 

50.  Library  and  Reading-Room,  State  Mining  Bureau 163 

51.  Laboratory,  State  Mining  Bureau 165 


G[MS,  JEWELERS'  MATERIALS,  AND  ORNAMENTAL 
STONES  OE  CALIEORNIA. 


By  GEORGE  F.  KUNZ,  A.M.,  Ph.D. 


INTRODUCTION. 


In  preparing  this  report  upon  the  gem-minerals  of  California,  a  few 
general  considerations  may  be  noted  at  the  outset.  Prior  to  the  Mexi- 
can war,  California  was  a  land  but  little  known — a  romantic,  dreamy 
region  of  far-away  southern  life,  where  the  Catholic  fathers  had  founded 
their  missions,  and  brought  the  language  and  the  architecture  of  Spain 
to  the  shores  of  the  Pacific.  With  the  transfer  of  the  territory  to  the 
United  States,  and  the  discovery  of  gold  in  1848,  a  swift  and  mighty 
change  set  in,  and  a  wonderful  era  of  progress  began,  which  has  con- 
tinued to  the  present  time. 

In  this  great  development  of  California,  there  may  easily  be  recog- 
nized three  distinct  steps  or  stages,  the  later  ones  coming  in  not  to 
replace  the  earlier,  but  as  successive  additions  to  the  productive  power 
of  the  State.  For  a  number  of  years  California  Avas  chiefly  known  and 
sought  as  the  land  of  gold,  the  El  Dorado.  Later  came  the  develop- 
ment of  the  soil  for  agriculture — the  rich  harvests  of  the  great  valley, 
and  the  luxuriant  horticulture  of  the  southern  section,  where  the  fruits 
of  southern  Europe  are  now  gathered  on  so  vast  a  scale.  Lastly,  within 
a  few  years,  has  come  into  view  the  wonderful  richness  of  the  State  in 
gems  and  precious  stones,  as  a  third  aspect  of  productiveness.  With 
this,  the  present  report  has  to  deal. 

Many  notices  of  separate  observations  and  discoveries  of  this  kind 
have  from  time  to  time  appeared,  and  lists  of  minerals  found  in  the 
State  have  been  published  at  various  periods  in  different  reports  of  the 
earlier  surveys  and  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau.  These  will  be  enumer- 
ated further  on.*     But  thus  far  there  has  been  no  general  record  of  the 

*The  titles  of  many  of  these  reports  will  be  given  in  the  footnotes.  See  also  Bibli- 
ography relating  to  Geology.  Palseontology  and  Mineral  Resources  of  California, 
including  maps,  by  Capt.  A.  \V.  Vogdes,  published  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau.  San 
Francisco,  19Q4. 


10  GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNL\. 

distril»utioii  of  Califoniia  gcin-iuincrals  as  such;  and  the  facts  have, 
moreover,  been  aecunmlating  so  rapidly  within  a  very  short  time  past, 
that  they  have  assumed  an  importance  much  greater  than  before.  In 
1890  and  1892  the  full  list  of  the  discoveries  known  was  collected  and 
published  with  other  gem  material.* 

The  discoveries  made  within  the  past  ten  years  have  been  reported 
almost  entirely  by  the  writer,  in  his  capacity  as  Special  Agent  of  the 
U.S.  Geological  Survey  for  this  particular  branch,  in  the  annual  reports 
on  the  Production  of  Precious  Stones  in  the  United  States,  published 
in  the  Division  of  Mineral  Resources,  in  the  annual  reports  of  the 
Survey.  All  that  has  appeared  in  those  volumes,  together  with  a  large 
amount  of  additional  material,  earlier  and  more  recent,  and  much  of  it 
from  personal  communications  and  other  unpublished  sources,  has  been 
brought  together,  and  corrected  up  to  the  date  of  going  to  press,  so  as  to 
present  to  the  people  of  California  a  general  conception  of  the  wealth  of 
their  State  in  gems  and  precious  stones.  It  is  hoped  that  this  work 
may  give  an  impetus  to  further  discovery  and  advance.  The  develop- 
ments in  this  line  during  the  last  four  years,  especially  in  southern  Cali- 
fornia, are  phenomenal,  and  have  not  been  paralleled  by  those  of  any 
other  State  or  country.  They  seem,  however,  only  to  have  commenced, 
and  it  is  quite  possible  that  in  a  few  years  many  new  and  important 
discoveries  will  be  made  in  this  region,  and  California  be  known  as  one 
of  the  greatest  gem-producing  countries  of  the  world.  Hence,  while  this 
report  is  designed  to  comprise  all  gem-minerals  found  in  the  State,  it 
will  deal  especially  wath  the  newest  region  of  discovery. 

It  is  time,  and  it  is  fit,  that  this  body  of  information  should  be  given 
to  the  people  of  the  State;  as  many  of  her  mineral  products  are  better 
known  and  better  represented  abroad  than  they  are  at  home.  Altogether, 
probably  more  than  a  billion  dollars'  worth  of  gold,  gems,  and  minerals 
of  California  have  been  diffused  to  the  ends  of  the  Avorld — the  first  aid- 
ing in  commerce  and  strengthening  the  banker,  the  others  forming  the 
ornaments  and  the  pride  of  important  museums  and  other  great  collec- 
tions. The  tourmaline,  spodumene,  rock-crystal,  and  other  gems — as 
familiar  now  to  experts  and  collectors  as  the  gold  itself — have  been 
better  known  to  the  residents  of  Russia,  Spain,  or  Germany,  than  to  the 
inhabitants  of  the  Golden  State  whence  they  came.  It  is  a  singular 
fact  that  these  gems  are  better  represented  in  the  American  Museum 
of  Natural  History  in  New  York,  the  United  States  National  Museum 
at  Washington,  the  British  Museum  in  London,  the  Musee  d  'Histoire 
Naturelle  of  Paris,  and  other  great  institutions  in  the  East  and  abroad, 
than  they  are  in  the  State  Mining  Bureau  of  California  or  the  State 
University  at  Berkeley — both  of  which  have  collections  that  rank  well 

*Gems  and  Precious  Stones  of  North  America,  New  York,  1890-92,  by  George  F. 
Kunz,  pp.  3L 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  11 

for  the  authenticity  and  the  richness  of  their  specimens,  and  for  their 
magnificent  examples  of  foreign  minerals.  If  this  report  shall  tend  ta 
increase  the  interest  and  awaken  the  pride  of  the  people  of  the  State  in 
their  remarkable  mineral  treasures,  it  will  have  served  a  purpose  of 
permanent  utility. 


GEM-MINERALS  IN  CALIFORNIA. 

The  distribution  of  gem-minerals  in  California  may  be  very  broadly 
outlined  somewhat  as  follows: 

I.  There  is,  first,  the  gold  region  of  the  central  and  northern  coun- 
ties along  the  western  base  of  the  Sierra  Nevada;  in  this  are  found  the- 
gold-quartz  used  so  much  for  jewelry  and  ornamental  work,  and  the 
few  but. interesting  diamonds.  These  latter  occur  loose  in  the  gold- 
bearing  gravels,  sometimes  of  the  surface  placers,  but  generally  of  the 
old  river-beds  now  covered  and  compacted  by  lava-flows.  In  these  last 
also  is  found  much  of  the  agatized  and  opalized  wood,  which  is  some- 
times capable  of  use  as  an  ornamental  stone.  In  the  same  gravel  fill- 
ing of  an  ancient  stream  bed,  in  Calaveras  County,  has  also  been  found 
the  wonderful  deposit  of  transparent  quartz  crystals  (rock-crystal)  of 
great  size,  which  have  yielded  some  of  the  finest  material  for  art  work 
ever  known  anywhere.  These  occurrences,  it  is  true,  are  adventitious,, 
and  not  in  the  nature  of  mines  that  can  yield  any  permanent  supply. 
But  they  have  been  found,  and  may  be  found  again  at  any  time.  The 
gold-quartz  is  different  in  this  respect,  and  a  fairly  steady  production 
of  it  in  certain  of  the  quartz  mines  may  be  relied  upon  hereafter,  a& 
before. 

The  diamonds  found  in  the  gravels  are  neither  numerous  nor  large^ 
but  some  of  them  are  beautiful  and  all  of  them  possess  much  interest. 
Their  occurrence  will  be  described  further  on  in  some  detail.  All  have 
been  found  incidentally,  and  no  search  for  them  has  ever  been  made. 
One  or  two  suggestions,  however,  may  be  offered  here: 

(1)  As  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey  is  projecting  a  special  study  of 
the  occurrence  of  platinum  in  California  and  the  Pacific  States,  it 
would  seem  not  unlikely  that  if  some  attention  were  paid  to  the  occur- 
rence of  the  diamond,  it  also  might  be  found  in  this  exploration;  a& 
the  diamond  is  one  of  the  heavier  minerals  and  is  almost  invariably 
met  with  in  the  riffles  with  the  gold  and  platinum. 

(2)  The  new  grease-board  separator  used  in  the  South  African  dia- 
mond mines,  recently  devised  through  the  keen  observation  of  one  of 
its  employes — Mr.  Kersten  of  Kimberley — might  prove  a  valuable 
adjunct  to  some  of  the  present  gold-stamps,  or  in  the  sluices,  to  detect 
the  occurrence  of  diamonds  in  California.  It  is  a  remarkable  fact 
that  while  almost  all  other  minerals  pass  over  a  board  coated   with 


12  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OP    CATJPORNLV. 

luutton  tallow,  when  such  a  board  is  vil)rate(l  or  "  jigged,"  all  diamonds 
present  remain  adhering  to  tlie  tallow,  and  can  thus  be  separated. 
With  a  contrivance  of  this  kind,  diamonds  down  to  the  size  of  a  pin- 
point are  at  present  saved  in  the  South  African  diamond  washings, 
while  otherwise  they  would  surely  be  lost. 

II.  There  is  next  the  region  of  Tulare  County,  centering  around 
Visalia,  where  the  recently  developed  chrysoprase  mines  occur  at 
several  points.  This  rare  and  beautiful  stone  exists  here  apparently 
in  some  abundance;  and  associated  with  it  are  a  number  of  other  forms 
and  varieties  of  quartz  minerals  capable  of  use  in  the  arts  for  orna- 
mental purposes,  such  as  rose-quartz,  chrysopal,  etc.,  besides  several 
species  of  garnet,  some  of  which  have  yielded  material  for  gems. 
Another  interesting  and  rather  peculiar  stone  found  in  this  section,  on 
the  borders  of  Tulare  and  Fresno  counties,  is  that  named  by  the  writer 
cnlifornite — a  compact  green  variety  of  vesuvianite,  that  perfectly 
resembles  the  celebrated  ornamental  stone  known  as  jade,  so  much 
prized  in  the  Orient  for  elegant  art-work.  This  is  also  found  in  Siski- 
you County,  at  the  northern  extremity  of  the  State. 

III.  The  desert  region  of  the  southwest,  bordering  on  Nevada  and 
Arizona.  Here,  in  a  country  arid,  barren,  and  desolate,  consisting 
largely  of  volcanic  rocks,  are  found  some  interesting  localities  of  opal 
and  of  turquoise,  the  latter  giving  evidence,  as  in  Arizona,  of  long  and 
extended  working  by  prehistoric  tribes,  who  have  left  their  stone  tools 
and  their  rock  inscriptions  around  their  old  places  of  labor.  These 
turquoise  mines  occupy  a  considerable  area  in  the  northwestern  angle 
of  San  Bernardino  Covinty,  and  are  operated  by  the  Himalaya  and 
Toltec  mining  companies.  The  latter  company  has  three  groups  of 
mines,  all  of  them  patented,  situated  on  the  great  desert,  about  100 
miles  northwest  from  Needles  station  and  about  50  miles  north  of 
Manvel,  which  is  on  a  branch  of  the  Santa  Fe  railroad.  The  three 
mining  centers  are  some  6  miles  apart,  in  the  old  Solo  Mining  District, 
and  are  known  as  East  Camp,  Middle  Camp,  and  West  Camp,  the  latter 
being  Avithin  20  miles  of  Death  Valley.  The  altitude  is  betw^een  5000 
and  6000  feet,  and  as  there  is  no  water  at  either  camp,  it  is  necessary 
to  draw  it  over  mountains  from  1  to  5  miles.  The  same  company  also 
operates  turquoise  mines  in  Nevada,  some  60  miles  due  east  of  the 
others. 

The  other  company,  the  Himalaya,  has  a  group  of  five  mines  in  the 
same  district  (the  Solo),  but  some  distance  from  the  former,  being  about 
60  miles  west  of  Manvel,  reached  only  by  team.  These  claims  are  all 
on  one  ledge,  which  is  described  as  a  "bird's-eye  porphyry"  with  some 
granite,  striking  north  and  south,  with  a  dip  of  75  degrees  west.  Tur- 
quoise is  the  only  gem  found,  and  occurs  in  pockets  surrounded  by  a  white 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  13 

friable  substance,  said  to  be  a  lime  silicate.  Two  shafts  have  been  sunk 
to  a  depth  of  80  feet,  but  no  turquoise  was  found  below  half  that  depth; 
and  from  there  up  most  of  the  material  has  been  stoped  to  the  surface. 
All  the  work  was  done  by  hand,  with  giant  powder,  and  was  laborious 
and  costly,  and  has  been  suspended  since  February,  1903.  During  the 
last  year  of  working,  the  amount  shipped  was  431  pounds  of  matrix 
and  ordinary  turquoise,  and  49  pounds  of  picked  material. 

IV.  The  most  remarkable  gem-region  of  the  State,  however,  is  that 
developed  within  a  few  years  past  in  San  Diego  and  Riverside  counties, 
at  several  localities  where  lithia  minerals  occur,  among  which  the  gem- 
tourmalines  and  gem-spodumenes  are  especially  prominent.  Besides 
these,  other  gem-minerals  have  lately  been  found  in  adjacent  or  asso- 
ciated workings,  especially  topaz,  transparent  epidote  and  axinite,  pink, 
green  and  blue  beryl,  and  essonite  garnet — the  whole  forming  an  assem- 
blage of  such  minerals  that  is  scarcely,  if  at  all,  equaled  anywhere  in 
the  world.  ^lany  of  these  mines  are  as  yet  only  prospects,  or  trial 
openings;  but  the  indications  are  that  the  region  is  full  of  possibilities. 
Lack  of  water  and  fuel  are  the  chief  obstacles  thus  far  to  a  much  more 
extended  development. 

In  general,  it  may  be  said  that  throughout  the  granitic  region  of  San 
Diego  and  Riverside  counties  there  is  a  widespread  prevalence  of  an 
igneous  rock  of  gray  color  which  is  generally  called  a  diorite,  with  a 
little  disseminated  quartz  and  mica  (biotite);  some  samples,  however, 
Prof.  T.  C.  Hopkins,  whose  account  is  quoted  further  on,  determined  to 
be  gabbro  rather  than  diorite.  This  rock,  and  the  granite,  appear  in  a 
series  of  ridges,  or  mountains,  with  a  prevailing  north  and  south  course^ 
and  are  traversed  by  dikes,  or  perhaps,  as  Professor  Hopkins  thinks, 
veins,  of  pegmatite— very  coarsely  crystallized  granite.  These  have  a 
general  direction  of  northwest  and  southeast,  and  dip  southward  or 
southwestward  at  varying  angles  at  different  points.  It  is  in  these  peg- 
matite veins  or  dikes,  which  vary  more  or  less  in  their  structure,  but 
possess  great  general  similarity,  that  the  gem-minerals  are  found.  In 
the  notes  given  further  on  as  to  the  several  mines,  these  special  features 
will  be  stated  in  detail. 

There  are  in  this  region  several  centers  of  occurrence,  as  thus  far 
recognized,  of  two  somewhat  distinct  types — those  yielding  lithia  min- 
erals, with  gem-tourmaline  and  sometimes  gem-spodumene,  and  those 
yielding  principally  garnet,  beryl,  and  topaz.  Of  the  former,  three  are 
especially  to  be  noted,  in  San  Diego  County — (1)  the  Mesa  Grande 
mines,  which  yield  crystallized  gem-tourmalines  of  splendid  quality, 
almost  exclusively;  (2)  the  Pala  district,  in  which  there  are  three 
parallel  ridges — Pala  Mountain  on  the  west,  with  the  great  lithia  mines 
and  some  colored  tourmaline;  Pala  Chief  Mountain,  in  which  are  found 


14  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

very  fine  tourmaline  and  the  new  and  remarkable  gem-spodumene 
{kimzite);  and  Heriart  Mountain  on  the  east,  with  a  number  of  open- 
ings yielding  both  tourmaline  and  kunzite;  then,  northeast  of  these,  in 
Riverside  County,  there  is  (3)  the  region  near  Coahuila,  in  the  San 
Jacinto  Mountains;  here  was  the  first  discovery  of  gem-tourmaline  in 
California,  so  far  as  known  to  the  whites,  and  kunzite  and  other  lithia 
minerals  have  recently  been  found  in  association  with  the  tourmaline. 
There  are  also  other  localities  between  this  latter  and  Mesa  Grande,  and 
probably  many  others  may  yet  be  found.  About  half-way  between 
Mesa  Grande  and  Pala  is  a  fine  beryl  mine,  near  Rincon. 

The  other  class  of  mineral  localities  appears  to  lie  along  a  line  some- 
what southwest  of  those  just  noted,  extending  from  near  the  Mexican 
boundary,  at  Jacumba,  northwest  to  Ramona  and  perhaps  beyond, 
following  the  general  strike  of  the  pegmatite  veins,  and  almost  exactly 
parallel  to  the  line  from  Mesa  Grande  to  Pala.  At  Ramona  are  found 
abundant  fine  garnet  (essonite),  with  topaz  and  beryl,  notably  the  rose 
variety,  but  not  much  tourmaline,  no  kvmzite,  and  in  general  little  of 
the  lithia  minerals.  Around  Jacumba  are  found  beryl  "and  essonite 
garnet  (often  called  hyacinth) ;  the  latter  is  abundant,  and  at  one  or 
two  points  has  been  worked  for  several  years  to  some  extent.  Jacumba, 
or  Jacumba  Hot  Springs,  is  close  to  the  Mexican  line,  some  20  miles 
east  of  Campo,  and  almost  on  the  western  edge  of  the  Colorado  Desert. 

With  regard  to  the  character  of  the  rocks,  and  the  relation  of  the 
minerals  thereto,  the  following  statement  from  Prof.  T,  C.  Hopkins,  of 
Syracuse  University,  Syracuse,  N.  Y.,  is  very  instructive.  Of  particular 
interest  is  his  distinction  between  the  gem-minerals  of  the  pegmatite 
veins  in  the  gabbro  (diorite)  and  in  the  granite.  In  many  of  the  notes 
on  special  features  of  the  several  mines,  given  further  on,  will  be  seen 
phases  of  the  vein-structure  that  Professor  Hopkins  here  mentions, 
especially  the  differences  between  the  upper  and  lower  sides  of  the  vein, 
Avhich  are  constantly  alluded  to.  The  pockets  in  which  the  gem-crystals 
occur  are  usually  in  a  somewhat  central  zone;  above  is  the  more  typical 
pegmatite,  and  some  of  the  describers  use  that  name  only  for  this  por- 
tion; below  lies  a  finer-grained  feldspathic  division,  which  is  commonly 
called  the  "line-rock,"  from  its  being  so  often  lined  or  banded  with 
minute  garnets,  as  Professor  Hopkins  describes,  or  in  some  cases  with 
minute  black  or  blue  tourmalines.  The  question  between  gabbro  and 
diorite,  for  the  rock  traversed  by  the  pegmatite  veins,  or  dikes,  may 
well  be  one  of  locality,  as  Professor  Hopkins  concedes  in  part.  The 
rock  may  vary  in  constitution  at  different  points,  as  it  does  in  physical 
structure.  At  one  or  two  places,  especially  near  Dehesa,  it  takes  on  the 
peculiar  concretionary  character  known  as  orbicular  diorite,  and  this 
mav  be  valuable  as  an  ornamental  stone. 


ILL.  No.  3.      WEATHERED  MASS    OF    "LINE-ROCK,"    SHOWING  GARNET  INTERLINEA- 
TIONS IN  THE  COMPACT  FELDSPAR.     NAYLOR-VANDERBURG   MINE, 
HERIART  MOUNTAIN,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY. 


.LL.  No.  4.    ORBICUL.Ui  lHoKlTE.  DKHESA.  SAX  DIhXio  COUNT  V  ~\V  ICAl'liJaiED  SURFACE 
SHOWING  THE  STRUCTURE. 


IG 


GEMS,    JEWELERS     .MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIEORNLV. 


^  fa 


the  first  rock.     The  rich  tourmaline  and 


The  Gem  Regions  of  San 
Diego  Cotinty,  California^ 
by  Prof.  T.  C.  Hopkins.— 
"The  gems  occur  in  the 
midst  of  pegmatite  veins 
which  are  formed  in  the 
granite  and  gabhro  rocks. 
These  rocks  form  a  range 
of  hills  and  mountains 
running  through  the  west 
and  west  central  portions 
of  San  Diego  County.  Both 
the  rocks  occur  in  great 
quantities  over  large  areas 
and  meet  along  very  ir- 
regular lines  of  contact, 
sometimes  a  long  tongue 
of  the  granite  extending 
into  the  gabbro  and  some- 
times the  reverse.  The 
gabbro  varies  considerably 
in  both  color  and  texture. 
In  places  it  is  finely  crystal- 
line, grading  into  basalt 
with  its  characteristic  col- 
umnar structure,  and  else- 
where it  is  quite  coarse- 
grained and  massive.  The 
granite  likewise  varies  from 
a  coarse-grained  texture  to 
a  fine-grained  felsite  and 
porphyry.  In  places  also 
it  has  a  gneissoid  structure 
and  grades  into  mica  schist. 
It  is  a  dark  gray  biotite 
granite,  containing  in 
places  dark  blotches  due 
to  imperfect  crystalliza- 
tion of  the  magma.  The 
pegmatites  occur  in  both 
the  gabbros  and  the  gran- 
ites, but  nearly  all  of  the  rich 
gem-bearing  veins  are  in 
kunzite  veins  at    Pala  and 


Mesa  Grande  are  all  in  the  gabbro.     The  topaz,  garnet,  and  beryl  veins 


•  JO      ^   "X 

GEMS,    JEWELERS      IMATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.    "■""        17 

at  Ramona  are  in  the  granite.  The  veins  are  locally  very  numerous; 
in  some  places  in  the  vicinity  of  Ramona  they  form  nearly  half  of  the 
rock  mass.  The  gems  invariably  occur  in  pockets  in  the  midst  of  the 
pegmatite — not  always  the  exact  middle  of  the  vein.  Generally  the  vein 
on  one  side  of  the  pocket  is  more  coarsely  crystalline  than  on  the  other 
side,  and  in  many  instances  the  finer-grained  portion  is  finely  banded 
with  small  brown  garnets.  The  gems  commonly  occur  embedded  in 
loose  clay,  but  occasionally  they  are  attached  to  the  walls  of  the  pocket 
and  may  even  be  embedded  in  quartz  or  orthoclase  feldspar.  They 
are  almost  invariably  accompanied  by  crystals  of  albite,  lepidolite,  and 
quartz.  The  latter  are  sometimes  quite  large,  single  crystals  weigh- 
ing from  100  to  150  pounds.  The  country  rock  has  been  called  a 
diorite,  but  a  microscopic  section  from  one  locality  proves  it  clearly  a 
gabbro,  although  it  may  be  diorite  at  other  points.  The  evidence 
appeared  to  me  pretty  conclusive  that  the  pegmatites  are  veins  and 
not  dikes."  * 

In  the  summer  of  1903,  Dr.  Waldemar  T.  Schaller,  of  the  department 
of  geology  of  the  University  of  California,  now  of  the  U.  S.  Geological 
Survey,  visited  the  tourmaline  and  kunzite  mine  recently  opened  on 
Pala  Chief  Mountain,  and  reported  upon  the  occurrence  in  detail. 
His  account  of  it  will  be  cited  further  on;  at  present  it  is  merely  men- 
tioned as  an  authoritative  description  of  this  locality,  giving  the  same 
general  facts  as  indicated  over  a  wider  area  by  Professor  Hopkins. f 

The  general  geology  of  the  granitic  region  of  southwestern  California, 
in  which  these  remarkable  developments  of  minerals  have  recently  been 
made,  has  been  repeatedly  described,  but  never  very  fully  or  exactly 
determined.  At  the  time  of  the  second  geological  survey,  under  Prof. 
J.  D.  Whitney,  1860  to  1865,  the  whole  region  was  little  known  or  set- 
tled, save  at  a  few  points  on  the  coast.  Professor  Whitney  gives  certain 
broad  outlines,  but  not  based  upon  any  detailed  examination  of  that 
part  of  the  State  as  a  whole.  He  points  out  the  disappearance  of  the 
Great  Valley,  with  its  clear  definition  of  the  two  mountain  systems  on 
either  side,  the  Sierra  and  the  Coast  Ranges,  and  the  apparent  inter- 
mingling of  the  two,  as  the  Sierra  bends  toward  the  southwest,  cutting 
off  the  central  valley.  This  southwestAvard  extension  of  the  Sierra  passes 
across  what  is  now  Kern  County,  and,  with  the  Tehachapi  Mountains, 
divides  it  into  two  well-marked  portions.  Professor  Whitney  observes 
that  it  is  only  by  the  age  and  position  of  the  sedimentary  rocks,  and 
not  by  any  topographical  features,  that  the  mountains  below  this  line 
can  be  judged  as  to  their  relations.  As  the  two  systems  approach  and 
intermingle,  the  lines  of  disturbance  are  so  closely  related,  and  so  influ- 

*  Letter  from  Prof.  T.  C,  Hopkins,  dated  January  11,  nm. 

t  W.  T.  Schaller,  Spodiimene  from  San  Diego  County,  Cal.;  Bull.  Dept.  Geol.  Univ. 
Cal.,  Vol.  Ill,  Sept.,  1903,  pp.  265-275. 
2 — MB 


18  GEMS,    JKWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

enocd  by  secondary  ones,  that  the  topogra])hy  gives  no  clew  to  the  actual 
facts  of  structure.* 

His  determination  was  that  the  Coast  Range  ends  at  about  8aii  Luis 
Rey,  and  is  not  traceable  farther  south;  and  that  the  principal  moun- 
tains of  what  are  no-\v  San  Diego  and  Riverside  counties  belong  geolog- 
ically and  orographically  to  the  Sierra  Nevada,  which  stretches  on 
southward  to  form  the  long  peninsula  of  Lower  California. 

This  close  relation  of  the  region  under  consideration  to  the  system 
of  the  Sierra  was  recognized  and  confirmed  ten  years  later  by  Prof. 
W.  A.  Goodyear,  who  made  a  reconnaissance  of  the  country  in  1872. 
His  notes  were  published  many  years  afterward,  in  the  eighth  report 
of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  1888.  They  are  clear  and  vivid  in  their 
topographic  portrayal.  He  describesf  the  geological  and  geographical 
features  of  San  Diego  County  (including  also  what  is  now  Riverside 
County)  substantially  as  follows: 

The  broad  mountain  range  wdiich,  stretching  south  from  the  San 
Bernardino  Valley,  occupies  all  the  western  part  of  San  Diego  County, 
from  the  Pacific  east  to  the  Colorado  Desert,  and  south  to  the  Mexican 
line,  is  essentially  a  region  of  granite,  nine  tenths  of  it  being  composed 
of  this  rock.  Along  the  coast  it  is  flanked  by  Tertiary  sediments;  and 
much  of  it,  especially  in  the  eastern  part,  is  traversed  by  belts  of 
highly  metamorphic  schists,  micaceous  and  hornblendic,  with  a  prevail- 
ing northwesterly  course.  The  detailed  topography  is  exceedingly 
complex,  the  ridges  trending  in  different  directions  and  inclosing 
valleys  at  various  altitudes. 

Along  the  shore  extends  the  Tertiary  mesa,  which  rises  gently  east- 
ward, and  sometimes  reaches  far  inland  among  the  mountains,  to 
heights  varying  from  500  to  800  feet.  The  mountains  gradually  increase 
in  elevation,  until  at  some  50  miles  from  the  coast  they  form  a  crest 
line  of  some  6000  or  7000  feet,  from  which  they  fall  off  steeply  and 
rapidly  on  the  eastern  side  some  5000  feet  to  the  western  edge  of  the 
Colorado  desert;  thus  resembling,  says  Professor  Goodyear,  on  a  smaller 
scale,  the  form  and  contour  of  the  true  Sierra  Nevada,  f 

Such  is  the  general  character  until  the  northern  part  of  San  Diego 
(now  Riverside)  is  reached,  when  a  more  east  and  west  trend  appears, 
culminating  in  the  grand  peak  of  San  Jacinto,  near  the  San  Bernardino 
line,  whose  height  is  given  by  Lieutenant  Wheeler  as  about  11,000  feet. 

Professor  Goodyear  then  describes  in  some  detail  his  examination  of 
the  rocks  and  the  structure  in  ascending  the  cafion  of  the  San  Diego 
and  traversing  the  ridges  and  valleys  to  Ramona,  Ballena,  Santa 
Ysabel,  Julian,  and  Banner,  some  ol  which  are  in  the  region  of  the 
recent  discoveries.     Everywhere  the  predominant  rock   is   granite,  of 

*GeoL  Survey  of  CaL,  VoL  I,  1865,  pp.  167,  168. 

t  California  State  Mining  Bureau,  Kept.  VIII,  1888,  pp.  516-522. 


GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    C.VLIFORXIA.  19 

varied  type,  sometimes  becoming  a  S3^enite,  "consisting  of  feldspar  and 
hornblende,  with  but  little  quartz  and  almost  no  mica,  which  might 
almost  be  called  a  diorite."  This  latter  rock  is  now  recognized  as  a 
distinct  formation  from  the  granite,  as  elsewhere  described  herein.  He 
notes  the  occurrence  of  the  orbicular  diorite  at  several  places,  saying 
that  the  granite  "  often  contains  dark-colored  hornblendic  nodules, 
*  *  *  whose  texture  is  still  granitoid."  The  pegmatite  dikes,  now 
found  to  be  so  rich  in  gem-minerals,  are  well  described,  as  follows: 
"  The  granite  country  here  {i.  e.,  near  Julian)  is  frequently  traversed 
by  veins  of  very  coarse  granite,  which  sometimes  furnish  plates  of 
mica  one  to  two  inches  in  diameter,  with  correspondingly  large  blocks 
of  feldspar";  he  also  noted  the  black  tourmaline  crystals  in  the  same 
veins,  but  did  not  encounter  the  colored  ones. 

The  ascent  of  Cuyamaca  Mountain  is  then  described;  and  the  general 
features  of  the  whole  region,  as  seen  from  that  fine  point  of  observation, 
are  so  clearly  presented  that  it  is  well  to  quote  them  in  detail.  The 
view  is  extensive  and  grand — northward  to  the  San  .Jacinto  and  San 
Bernardino  mountains,  westward  along  the  coast  and  out  to  sea,  and 
southward  far  into  Mexico;  northeast  lies  the  Colorado  Desert  and  the 
Coahuila  Valley,  and  a  long  stretch  of  the  San  Bernardino  Mountains 
running  toward  the  Colorado  River  along  the  northeast  side  of  the 
desert. 

"From  this  standpoint,"  Professor  Goodyear  says,  "the  whole  country 
from  just  back  of  San  Diego  *  *  *  to  the  western  edge  of  the 
desert  is  like  an  angry  ocean  of  knobby  peaks,  more  or  less  isolated, 
with  short  ridges  running  in  every  possible  direction,  and  inclosing 
between  and  among  them  numerous  small  and  irregular  valleys.  As  a 
general  rule,  the  higher  peaks  and  ridges  rise  from  1000  to  2500  feet 
above  the  little  valleys  and  canons  around  their  immediate  bases. 
But  in  going  eastward  from  the  coast,  each  successive  little  valley  is 
higher  than  the  one  *  *  *  preceding,  and  the  dominant  peaks  and 
ridges  also  rise  higher  and  higher  *  *  *  until  we  reach  the  irregular 
line  of  the  main  summit  crest,  or  water-divide,  *  *  *  when  the 
mountains  break  suddenly  off  and  fall  within  a  very  few  miles  from 
4000  to  5000  feet  or  more,  with  an  abrupt  and  precipitous  front  to  the 
east,  to  the  western  edge  of  the  desert.  It  thus  follows  that  this  chain 
of  mountains,  as  already  stated,  though  made  up  of  a  confused  mass  of 
minor  ridges  and  peaks  of  granite,  having  in  their  detailed  topography 
but  little  connection  with  or  relation  to  each  other,  nevertheless  has  a 
general  orographic  form  very  closely  allied  to  that  of  the  Sierra  Xevada 
in  the  more  central  portions  of  the  State." 

In  the  volume  published  by  the  Miners'  Association,  in  1899,  for  the 
California  meeting  of  the  American  Institute  of  Mining  Engineers,  the 
following  similar,  though  much  more  recent,  account  is  given  as  to  this 


20  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

region.  Referring  to  tlie  mineral  wealth  of  soutliern  California,  that 
term  is  defined  as  that  portion  of  the  State  south  of  the  Tehachapi 
Mountains — "  Avhich  unite  the  Sierra  Nevada  and  Coast  Ranges,  inclos- 
ing the  upper  (i.  c.,  southern)  end  of  the  central  valley,  and  topograph- 
ically dividing  the  State  into  two  regions  of  distinct  characters."  The 
belt  on  the  west  is  fertile,  salnbrious,  rich,  and  prosperous,  the  mineral 
resources  are  chiefly  oil  and  asphalt;  otherwise,  the  mineral  wealth  of 
southern  California  lies  eastward,  in  a  very  different  area,  comprising 
most  of  San  Diego,  Riverside,  San  Bernardino,  and  Los  Angeles  coun- 
ties. The  chief  mining  region  is  the  desert  country  east  of  the  Coast 
Ranges,  "  a  region  of  rugged  mountains,  bare  and  forbidding  hills,  and 
sandy  plains,  divided  by  a  series  of  mountain  elevations  into  the  Mojave 
and  Colorado  deserts."  Gold  and  other  mines  exist  all  through  this 
arid  country,  in  which  the  rocks  present  great  diversity,  of  all  ages  and 
types,  the  igneous  ones  being  very  numerous  and  marked.  This  report 
was  chiefly  concerned  with  gold  mining;  but  the  general  presentation 
given  is  very  good,  and  may  well  be  taken  here  as  descriptive  of  the 
recently  developed  gem-regions  of  southern  California. 

The  tw^o  contrasted  areas  above  noted  have  their  separate  types  of  gem 
production — those  already  mentioned  as  III  and  IV — in  the  extreme 
southern  part  of  the  State.  The  fertile  region  on  the  west  is  the  Tertiary 
plateau  or  coast  mesa;  then  comes  the  broad  zone  of  granitic  hills  and 
ridges,  so  vividly  pictured  by  Professor  Goodyear,  and  identified  by 
Professor  Whitney,  as  in  reality  the  southwestern  extension  of  the  Sierra, 
although  in  its  geographical  relations  it  occupies  the  place  of  the  Coast 
Range.  Through  this  hilly  zone  run  the  pegmatite  veins,  so  rich  in 
lithia  minerals — tourmaline,  kunzite,  lepidolite,  etc. — and  in  garnet, 
beryl,  and  topaz,  at  many  points  from  the  Mexican  border  to  the  heights 
of  the  San  Jacinto  Mountains.  Then  comes,  on  the  east,  the  steep 
falling-off  of  the  mountain  area,  as  described  by  Professor  Goodyear,  to 
the  arid  stretch  of  the  Colorado  Desert,  bounded  on  the  northeast  by 
the  San  Bernardino  range,  beyond  which,  to  the  north,  lies  the  Mojave 
Desert,  with  its  borax  mines.  In  the  Colorado  Desert,  among  the 
volcanic  rocks,  are  the  opal  and  turquoise  localities  mentioned  under 
III — some  of  the  latter  far  up  on  the  San  Bernardino  heights,  and 
others  aAvay  to  the  eastward  in  Nevada  and  Arizona. 

It  is  with  the  western  division — that  of  the  granitic  hill  country — that 
the  present  report  has  principally  to  deal,  although  the  other  gem- 
producing  areas  are  also  described. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  21 

HISTORICAL  OUTLINE. 

The  first  discovery  of  colored  gem-tourmaline  in  the  State  goes  back 
as  far  as  1872,  when  Mr.  Henry  Hamilton,  in  June  of  that  year,  obtained 
and  recognized  this  mineral  in  Riverside  County,  on  the  southeast  slope 
of  Thomas  Mountain.  These  colored  tourmalines,  now  found  at  a 
number  of  points,  were  not  encountered  by  Professor  Goodyear,  who 
particularly  noted  the  black  tourmalines  in  the  pegmatite  veins,  in  his 
geological  tour  through  San  Diego  County,  in  the  same  year,  referred  to 
above;  l)ut  his  reconnaissance  was  a  little  south  of  the  gem-tourmaline 
belt.  Some  mining  was  done  at  this  point,  and  fine  gems  were  obtained. 
In  the  course  of  years,  three  localities  were  opened  and  more  or  less 
worked  in  this  vicinity,;  so  that  in  the  author's  report  on  American 
gem-production  for  1893,  the  following  statement  appeared:* 

"Tourmalines  are  mined  at  the  California  gem  mine,  the  San  Jacinto 
gem  mine,  and  the  Columbian  gem  mine,  near  Riverside,  California. 
These  three  mining  claims  cover  the  ground  on  which  the  tourmaline  is 
found,  and  are  situated  in  the  San  Jacinto  range  of  mountains  in  River- 
side County,  California,  at  an  altitude  of  6500  feet,  overlooking  Hemet 
Valley  and  the  Coahuila  Valley,  and  27  miles  from  the  railroad.  The 
formation  in  which  the  crystals  are  found  is  a  vein  from  40  to  50  feet 
wide  running  almost  north  and  south  through  the  old  crystalline  rocks 
which  make  up  the  mountain  range.  The  vein  in  some  places  consists 
of  pure  feldspar,  or  else  feldspar  with  quartz,  in  others  all  mica,  and  in 
others  rose-quartz  and  smoky  quartz.  The  tourmalines  vary  in  size 
from  almost  micrograins  to  crystals  4  inches  in  diameter.  They  are 
most  plentiful  in  the  feldspar,  but  are  found  in  other  portions  of  the 
vein,  sometimes  in  pockets  and  sometimes  isolated.  The  larger  crystals 
generally  have  a  green  exterior  and  are  red  or  pink  in  the  center.  Some 
of  the  crystals  contain  green,  red,  pink,  black,  and  intermediate  colors; 
others  again  are  all  of  uniform  tint — red,  pink,  colorless,  or  blue. 
Associated  with  the  tourmalines  are  rose-quartz,  smoky  quartz,  asteriated 
quartz,  and  fluorite,  and  some  of  the  quartz  was  penetrated  with  fine, 
hair-like  crystals  of  tourmaline,  strikingly  like  a  similar  occurrence  of 
r  utile." 

It  may  seem  remarkable  that  this  locality  of  gem-tourmalines  should 
have  been  unrecorded  in  the  earlier  lists  of  California  minerals  given 
by  such  authorities  as  Professor  Blake  and  Mr.  Hanks  in  the 
reports  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  for  1882  and  1884.  But  the  parties 
who  knew  of  the  occurrence  did  not  make  it  public  for  some  years,  and 
the  earlier  specimens  were  taken  out  quietly  and  their  locality  not 
divulged..  The  writer  had  positive  knowledge  as  to  the  facts,  however, 
and  possesses  a  fine  specimen  obtained  prior  to  1873. 

*George  F.  Kunz:  Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  Rept.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  1893.  p.  18 (reprint). 


22 


GEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNLV. 


The  second  important  discovery  in  tliis  region  was  made,  or  at  least 
announced,  twenty  years  later,  in  1892,  by  Mr.  C.  R.  Orentt — the  great 
locality  of  lithia  minerals  at  Pala.  Some  allusions  to  red  tourmaline 
from  uncertain  sources  in  this  part  of  the  State  had  appeared  before; 
but  nothing  very  specific.  In  the  list  of  California  minerals  prepared 
by  Prof.  William  P.  Blake  in   1880-82,*  and  also  quoted  in   that  of 


ILL.  No.  (•>.      'BRIDAL  CHAMBER,"  LEPIDOLITE  MINE,  PALA, 

SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY— SHOWING  TOURMALINE 

CRYSTALS  EMBEDDED  IN   THE  ROCK. 

Mr.  Henry  G.  Hanks,  published  in  1884,  f  references  are  made  to  the 
recent  discovery  of  rubellite,  for  the  first  time  in  the  State,  associated 
with  lepidolite,  "in  the  San  Bernardino  range,  southern  California." 
The  general  description  is  precisely  that  of  the  Pala  specimens,  but 
the  location  is  very  indefinite.  Mr.  Hanks  refers  to  the  same  associa- 
tion under  lepidolite,  and  mentions  a  specimen  in  the  State  Mining 


*  State  Mineralogist,  2d  Rept 
+  Ibid.,  4th  Rept.,  1884,  p.  389 


1880-82,  p.  207,  Appendix. 


GEMS,    JEWT:LERS'    materials,   etc.,    of    CALIFORNIA.  23 

Bureau,  from  San  Diego  Countvj  and  remarks  that  "this  may  at  some 
future  time  be  found  profitable  to  extract  lithium  from  it "  * — a  pre- 
diction abundantly  verified  now.  Mr.  Orcutt,  however,  was  the  first  to 
make  the  locality  known.  It  was  noted  by  the  author  in  his  report  for 
1893,  where  the  following  account  was  given:  t 

"Mr.  Charles  Russell  Orcutt  has  announced  a  new  and  remarkable 
occurrence  of  pink  tourmaline  in  lepidolite,  similar  to  that  of  Rumford, 
Maine,  12  miles  south  of  Temecula,  near  San  Luis  Rev  River,  in  San 
Diego  County,  the  southern  county  of  California,  and  it  has  already 
become  celebrated  from  the  abundance  and  beauty  of  the  specimens 
yielded,  as  much  as  twenty  tons  having  been  sent  East  for  sale. 
Through  San  Diego  County  runs  the  Peninsula  range,  rising  several 
thousand  feet  between  the  coast  and  the  Colorado  Desert.  In  these 
granite  mountains  are  diorite  intrusions  and  some  metamorphic  schists, 
etc.  West  of  the  summit  lies  a  parallel  belt  of  granitic  rock  character- 
ized by  dikes  of  pegmatite,  in  one  of  the  largest  of  which  occurs  this 
great  deposit  of  lepidolite  with  tourmaline.  In  Pala,  a  little  west  of 
Smith's  Mountain,  in  the  Peninsula  range,  *  *  *  a  ledge  of  lepidolite 
containing  rubellite  has  been  traced  for  over  half  a  mile.  It  consists 
of  a  coarse  granite,  penetrating  a  norite  rock,  and  including  masses  of 
pegmatite.  Small  garnets  occur  in  the  granite,  and  black  tourmaline, 
with  a  little  green  tourmaline.  The  lepidolite  appears  in  the  southern 
portion,  finally  forming  a  definite  vein  which  at  one  point  is  twenty 
yards  wide.  The  rubellite  is  chiefly  in  clusters  and  radiations,  several 
inches  in  diameter,  also  occasionally  as  single  crystals,  and  the  speci- 
mens of  deep  pink  tourmaline  in  the  pale  lilac  mica  are  remarkably 
elegant.     About  eighteen  tons  were  mined  during  1892." 

The  next  important  discovery  was  made  six  years  later,  in  1898; 
this  Avas  the  wonderful  Mesa  Grande  locality,  some  20  miles  southeast 
of  Pala.  There  are  various  stories  about  the  Indians  having  known  it 
for  many  years,  and  the  most  familiar  account  is  that  given  further  on 
under  Tourmaline.  But  the  fact  that  some  of  the  highly  colored  crys- 
tals are  found  in  Indian  graves  in  the  vicinity,  suggests  that  they  may 
have  been  known  and  valued  perhaps  for  a  very  long  time.  The  ledge 
in  which  they  occur  is  exposed  by  erosion  on  the  side  of  the  mountain; 
and  the  natives  had  certain^  learned  where  to  find  crystals,  and  had 
them  in  their  possession  for  some  years  before  the  whites  knew  any- 
thing about  them.  It  is  even  said  that  they  had  learned  how  to  do  a 
little  rude  blasting,  and  thus  to  reach  the  cavities  in  which  the  minerals 
occur.  It  was  not  until  1898,  however,  that  this  now  famous  locality 
was  made  known  to  the  world. 

*  State  Mineralogist,  4th  Kept.,  18&4,  p.  254. 

+  Rept.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  1893,  Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  pp.  17,  18  (reprint). 


24  GEMS,  jewelers'  materials,  etc.,  of  californlv. 

The  discovery  was  announced  in  the  author's  report  for  1900,  on  the 
production  of  precious  stones  in  the  United  States,  as  follows:* 

"In  1898,  while  prospecting  in  Mesa  Grande  Mountain,  San  Diego 
County,  California,  for  lepidolite,  a  large  ledge  was  observed  that 
appeared  to  be  a  mass  of  this  mineral.  This  locality  is  at  an  altitude 
of  5000  feet  on  the  Mesa  Grande  Mountain,  a  region  in  Avhich  no 
geological  work  had  up  to  that  time  been  done.  The  first  few  Ijlasts 
showed  that  lepidolite  was  present  in  quantity,  and  also  in  larger  and 
more  brilliant  scales  than  in  the  well-known  locality  at  Pala,  Cal. 
Both  in  the  lepidolite  and  in  the  associated  quartz  there  are  magnifi- 
cent crystals  of  tourmaline,  and,  as  at  Pala,  the  rubellite  variety  pre- 
dominates. The  new  locality  differs,  however,  in  having  the  tourmaline 
in  distinct,  isolated  crystals.  Many  of  these  are  translucent,  or  even 
transparent,  and  occur  as  large,  separate  crystals,  with  perfect  prisms 
and  terminations.  They  differ  in  both  these  respects  from  the  Pala 
crystals,  which  are  nearl}^  opaque  and  grouped  in  radiations  almost 
blending  into  the  matrix,  which  latter  is  lepidolite,  with  rarely  ever 
any  quartzite.  The  rubellite  seems  the  predominating  variety  at  Mesa 
Grande  Mountain;  but  there  is  also  a  large  proportion  of  parti-colored 
crystals — i.  e.,  those  made  up  of  three,  four,  or  five  distinct  sections,  as 
at  Haddam  Neck,  Conn.,  and  Paris,  Me.;  others  present  the  Brazilian 
type,  in  which  several  different  colored  tourmalines  appear,  as  though 
included  one  within  the  other.  In  the  Brazilian  crystals,  however,  the 
interior  is  generally  red,  inclosed  in  white,  and  the  exterior  green. 
This  concentric  arrangement  is  reversed  in  the  crystals  from  Mesa 
Grande  Mountain,  which  are  generally  green  in  the  interior,  or  yellow- 
green,  inclosed  in  white,  with  the  exterior  red.  The  habit  of  the 
crystals  is  also  very  interesting,  in  that  many  of  them,  when  doubly 
terminated,  end  in  a  flat,  basal  form  of  pyramid,  and  are  not  hemi- 
morphic,  as  tourmalines  generally  are." 

For  several  years,  these  above  noted  were  the  only  gem  mines  of  this 
region,  and  their  product  was  highly  esteemed.  But  in  1902  began  a 
succession  of  new  discoveries  that  have  attracted  great  attention.  On 
Pala  Chief  Mountain  and  on  Heriart  Mountain  began  to  be  found  not 
only  fine-colored  tourmalines,  but  the  novel  and  remarkable  gem- 
spodumene,  designated  as  kunzite.  This  last-named  mineral  was  found 
by  Mr.  Frederick  M.  Sickler,  at  what  is  now  known  as  the  White  Queen 
mine,  on  Heriart  Mountain,  east  of  Pala,  early  in  1902;  it  is  claimed, 
indeed,  that  he  had  obtained  one  or  two  pieces  some  time  before,  l)ut  it 
was  not  identified.  In  July,  1902,  Mr.  Sickler  visited  San  Diego  and 
Los  Angeles,  and  showed  specimens  to  local  jewelers  and  collectors, 
none  of  whom  recognized  it.  The  first  determination  was  made  by  the 
writer,  from  specimens  sent  by  Mr.  Sickler  early  in  1903. 

*Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  Kept.  U.  S.  GeoL  Survey,  1900,  p.  33  (reprint). 


<JEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA.  2d 

The  great  Pala  Chief  mine,  which  has  given  its  name  to  the  middle 
one  of  the  three  ridges  or  mountains  at  Pala,  and  has  yielded  magnifi- 
cent tourmalines  and  the  largest  and  finest  gem-spodumene  crystals, 
was  located  in  May,  1903,  by  Frank  A.  Salmons,  John  Giddens,  Pedro 
Peiletch,  and  Bernardo  Heriart.  The  actual  discoverers  were  probably 
the  two  last  named,  the  Basque  prospectors  who  had  already  been 
working  and  locating  claims  with  the  two  Sicklers,  father  and  son,  on 
Heriart  Mountain,  the  ridge  a  little  to  the  east.  Mr.  Salmons  has  been 
the  principal  operator,  however,  of  this  very  notable  mine. 

The  first  public  announcement  of  these  discoveries  appeared  in  the 
writer's  report  on  gem-production  in  the  United  States  for  1902,  having 
been  introduced  late,  while  the  report  was  being  printed  in  1903.*  They 
were  also  described  by  the  writer  in  "  Science  "  for  August  28,  1903,  and 
in  the  American  Journal  of  Science  for  September  of  the  same  year.f 

Meanwhile,  on  September  8, 1902,  gem-tourmaline  had  been  discovered 
on  Aguanga  Mountain,  some  5  miles  south  of  Oak  Grove,  by  Mr.  Bert 
Simmons.  This  locality  lies  nearly  east  from  Pala  and  south  from  that 
at  Coahuila,  next  to  be  mentioned,  and  about  equally  distant  from  the 
two,  some  15  miles.     Kunzite  has  since  been  found  on  the  same  claim. 

On  May  30,  1903,  Mr.  Simmons  discovered  both  colored  tourmalines 
and  kunzite  in  Riverside  County,  some  10  miles  west  of  the  old  Hamil- 
ton (first)  discovery.  The  locality  is  on  Coahuila  Mountain,  about  20 
miles  northeast  of  Pala.  The  mine  was  for  some  time  known  as  the 
Simmons  mine,  -but  has  been  sold  to  Mr.  E.  A.  Fano,  of  San  Diego,  and 
is  now  called  by  his  name.  This  is  one  of  the  most  promising  and 
productive  mines  of  the  region. 

The  discoveries  at  and  around  Ramona  followed  in  rapid  succession, 
in  1903.  Some  had  been  made  several  years  earlier,  but  they  had  not 
attracted  much  notice.  Essonite  garnet  was  reported  near  Ramona  in 
1892,  by  D.  C.  Collier,  and  also  fine  epidote.  Much  of  the  essonite 
found  hereabout  is  of  rich  color  and  fine  gem  quality. 

Several  mines,  with  this  "hyacinth"'  variety  of  garnet  and  more  or 
less  of  beryl  and  tourmaline,  were  located  in  May,  July,  and  Septem- 
ber, 1903.  ' 

On  October  3d  of  that  year,  topaz  was  discovered  in  the  same  vicinity, 
by  James  W.  Booth  and  John  D.  Farley.  This  was  a  novel  and  impor- 
tant addition  to  the  gem  products  of  the  State.  The  crystals  are  of 
various  sizes,  some  of  them  large,  often  transparent,  and  range  from 
colorless  to  pale  shades  of  blue,  much  resembling  those  from  the  old 
and  well-known  locality  at  Sarapulka  in  the  Ural  Mountains. 

These  minerals  will  be  described  further  on,  in  the  body  of  this  report, 

*Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  Rept.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  1902,  pp.  848,  849. 

t  Science.  Vol.  XVIII  (new  ser.).  No.  452,  1903,  p.  280;  and  Am.  .1.  Sci.  (4),  Vol.  XVI, 
1903,  pp.  264-267. 


2(')  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIAIjS,   etc.,    of    CAIilFORNIA. 

and  the  several  mines  will  be  enumerated,  with  tlieir  special  products, 
in  the  section  following. 

As  Avas  noted  before,  the  garnet  and  topaz  belt  seems  to  run  on  a 
distinct  and  parallel  line  somewhat  southwest  of  the  tourmaline-kunzite 
mines.  The  main  localities  are  near  Ramona  ;  ])ut  if  a  line  be  drawn 
from  that  point  southeast  to  the  Mexican  border,  it  will  strike  another 
great  garnet  region  near  Jacumba  Hot  Springs.  These  localities  have 
only  recently  been  much  known  or  examined.  They  were  first  described 
in  the  writer's  report  on  gem  production  for  1903,  together  with  the 
Ramona  discoveries  above  noted,*  as  follows: 

"  Essonite  has  been  found  at  a  number  of  localities  in  deposits  spread 
over  a  considerable  territory  from  9  to  10  miles  northeast  of  Jacumba 
Hot  Springs,  San  Diego  County,  Cal.,  usually  associated  with  granite 
and  granular  limestone.  At  three  of  the  places  some  gem  material  has 
been  found.  Associated  with  it  is  a  little  vesuvianite  and  crystallized 
quartz.  Eleven  localities  in  this  region  are  noted.  Essonite  has  also 
been  found  near  San  Vicente,  El  Cajon  Mountains,  but  the  crystals 
were  full  of  imperfections.  The  finest  essonite  crystals  are  obtained 
at  Ramona,  San  Diego  County,  associated  with  green  tourmaline, 
white  topaz,  and  beryl,  occasionally  in  perfect  dodecahedrons  and 
trapezohedrons,  of  rich  yellow  to  orange-red  color,  and  very  brilliant. 
They  have  also  been  discovered  at  Warner's  Ranch,  Mesa  Grande,  Santa 
Ysabel,  Gravilla,  and  Julian,  San  Diego  County;  Deer,  Park,  Placer 
County;  Laguna  Mountains  and  Jacumba,  and  also  at  several  places 
below  the  Mexican  line.  As  some  of  th"e  crystals  were  of  exceptional 
brilliancy,  it  is  possible  that  on  further  development  many  fine  gems 
Avill  be  obtained. " 

The  name  Jacvimba  is  used  in  a  very  general  way  for  any  place 
within  a  few  miles  of  the  store  and  springs.  It  properly  belongs  to  a 
small  valley  surrounded  by  mountains  of  granite,  and  locally  noted  for 
its  earthcjuakes  and  hot  springs,  situated  close  to  the  Mexican  line. 
The  springs  are  liable  to  great  fluctuations  of  level,  and  there  are  exten- 
sive lava-flows  among  the  mountains  around,  so  that  the  region  appears 
to  be  one  of  recent  volcanic  activity.  As  yet,  however,  it  has  not  been 
accurately  mapped  or  geologically  examined.  The  springs  are  both  hot 
and  cold,  variously  impregnated  with  mineral  substances,. and  are  likely 
to  become  important  as  a  health  resort,  especially  as  the  country  still 
abounds  with  wild  game.  They  are  situated  on  the  projected  railroad 
line  skirting  the  frontier,  from  San  Diego  to  Phoenix,  Arizona — 74  miles 
east  of  San  Diego  and  some  20  miles  from  Campo,  in  the  S.  E.  i  of 
Sec.  12,  T.  18  B.,  R.  7  E.,  S.  B.  M.  A  short  distance  east  is  the  main 
mountain  crest,  and  then  a  steep  descent  to  the  Colorado  Desert. 

Throughout  this  region  around  Jacumba,  essonite  garnet  is  found  at 

*Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  Rept.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  1903,  p.  19  (reprint). 


27 


GEMS,    JEWEIJ3RS'    MATERIALS,   ETC..    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

ririoiK  points,  together  with  black  tourmaline  and  some  beryl.  As 
.Lewhere  in  all  the  granite  country  of  San  Diego  County,  these  minerals 
are  associated  with  pegmatite  yeins,  though  at  one  or  two  points  the 
.arnets  are  reported  in  a  limestone.  The  mines  best  known  are  situ- 
ated in  the  Santa  Rosa  Mountains,  several  miles  northeast  of  Jacumb^ 
Not  much  working  has  been  done  as  yet,  but  there  is  likely  to  be  a  good  - 
deal  more  soon.  One  mine,  the  Dos  Cabezas,  m  which  the  garnets 
occur  in  a  marble,  has  been  known  for  some  ten  years,  and  occasionally 
worked,  yielding  many  fine  hyacintlis^  -vi     o,..i 

The  cmmtry  hereabout  is  very  wild,  rugged,  and  inaccessible,  and 
wood  and  wat^r  are  scarce.  If  the  railroad  is  opened  through,  this  may 
become  an  important  region  of  gem-production. 

<n  the  whole  hilly  country  of  the  granite  and  diorite.  west  and  south 
from  these  lines  of  opening,  here  brieflT  indicated,  constant  reports 
are  coming  in  of  interesting  mineral  discoveries.  The  orbicular  dionte, 
or  napoleonite,  elsewhere  described,  near  Dehesa,  and  the  newly  discov- 
ered lilac  dumortierite,  not  far  from  the  same  place,  may  bot^  become 
valuable  ornamental  stones,  if  procurable  in  quantities  sufficient  for 
such  purposes^  These  are  described  in  the  body  of  this  report/  The 
whole  country  seems  full  of  possibilities  for  precious  and  semi-precious 
minerals;  and  years  must  yet  pass  before  it  will  be  ^«  ^^^^^  ^^P^^^f.^ 
that  any  complete  estimate  of  its  resources  can  be  formed^  Meariwhile 
this  report  brings  together  most  of  what  has  been  discoyered,  and  a  so 
of  what  has  been  done  thus  far,  in  regard  to  the  gem-mmerals  of  south- 
em  California. 

RECOGNITION. 
In  issuing  this  report,  the  writer  desires  to  bear  testimony  to  the 
^vork  of  those  who  have  preceded  him  in  the  study  of  California  miner- 
alogy and  also  of  those  who  have  directly  aided  or  contributed  to  the 
gathering  of  the  facts  herein  presented.  A  very  brief  review  may  be 
given  in  the  first  place  of  the  history  of  mineralogical  investigation  in 
the  State  of  California,  in  order  to  link  the  present  with  the  past  and 
to  show  something  of  the  course  of  development. 

Within  four  years  after  the  first  discovery  of  gold,  m  18-1  <,  at  Sut- 
ter's mill  El  Dorado  County,  a  geological  survey  of  the  State  was 
organized,  with  Dr.  John  B.  Trask  as  its  director;  his  prelimmary 
report  was  made  in  1851,  and  four  annual  reports  were  issued  m  the 
years  1853  to  1856  inclusive.  These  dealt  principally  with  the  bierra 
Xevada  and  Coast  Ranges,  with  especial  reference  to  gold.  Work  was 
then  suspended  for  several  years,  until  the  organization  of  the  Second 
Geological  Survey,  in  1861,  under  Prof.  J.  D.  Whitney.  This  was 
begun  and  carried  out  on  a  noble  and  comprehensive  scale,  until  the 
unfortunate  stoppage  of  appropriations  for  it   in   18.4.     The  work  ot 


28  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,    op    CALIFORNIA. 

Professor  Whitney  iind  the  eminent  scientific  experts  associated  with 
him  was  thus  suddenly  broken  off.  Portions  of  the  work,  that  had  been 
done  and  were  ready  for  publication,  were  subsequently  issued  elsewhere 
under  the  auspices  of  scientific  societies. 

After  six  years,  the  State  Mining  Bureau  was  organized  by  the  Lt'gis- 
lature  in  1880,  and  has  been  maintained  from  that  time,  with  a  great 
amount  of  excellent  and  valuable  work  by  many  able  men.  The  office  of 
State  Mineralogist  was  created,  and  Mr.  Henry  G.  Hanks  was  appointed; 
he  held  the  position  from  1880  to  1886,  and  gave  a  very  important 
impetus  to  mining  and  mineralogical  interests.  His  reports  are  full  of 
valuable  material.  He  was  followed  in  succession  by  William  Irelan,  Jr., 
1886-1893;  J.  J.  Crawford,  1893-1897;  A.  S.  Cooper,  1897-1901;  and 
the  present  State  Mineralogist,  Lewis  E.  Aubury,  from  that  time  on. 
The  Bureau  now  occupies  a  large  and  impressive  building  in  San  Fran- 
cisco, and  has  gathered  extensive  collections  of  the  minerals  of  the 
State,  as  well  as  of  general  mineralogy  for  comparative  study. 

Among  those  who  have  dealt  particularly  with  the  regions,  or  the 
topics,  considered  in  the  present  report,  in  distinction  from  the 
mining  of  gold  and  other  metallic  productions,  which  have  naturally 
held  the  first  place  in  the  work  that  has  been  done,  reference  may  be 
made  to  the  following  persons:  The  earliest  list  of  minerals  of  the  State 
was  prepared  by  Prof.  William  P.  Blake,  and  published  in  the  second 
report  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  1882  (appendix);  this  was  followed 
by  other  lists  based  upon  it  and  adding  to  it,  by  Mr.  Henry  G.  Hanks, 
published  in  his  fourth  and  sixth  reports,  1884  and  1886.  These  lists 
are  quite  full,  and  contain  many  valuable  notes  on  the  peculiarities  of 
the  minerals  at  the  localities  described. 

With  special  regard  to  the  finding  of  diamonds  in  the  State,  numer- 
ous articles  have  appeared,  from  an  early  date,  in  the  American 
Journal  of  Science,  the  proceedings  of  the  California  Academy  of  Sci- 
ences, the  Mining  and  Scientific  Press,  and  other  publications  of  various 
kinds;  these  will  be  referred  to  in  the  section  upon  diamond  occurrence, 
later.  The  Rev.  C.  S.  Lyman  was  the  first  to  describe  a  California 
diamond,  in  1848;  and  Prof.  Benjamin  Silliman  published  several  early 
accounts.  In  1854,  Dr.  Melville  Attwood,  an  important  contributor  to 
the  geological  study  of  the  State,  and  author  of  valuable  papers  pub- 
lished by  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  called  public  attention  to  the  occa- 
sional presence  of  diamonds  in  the  gold  gravels,  and  the  possibility  of 
further  discoveries.  In  1871,  Prof.  W.  A.  Goodyear  published  a  refer- 
ence to  the  subject  in  Prof.  R.  W.  Raymond's  volume  on  "  Mineral 
Resources  West  of  the  Rocky  Mountains."  A  full  account  of  all 
the  discoveries  up  to  date  was  given  by  Mr.  Hanks  in  his  second 
report  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  for  1882,  with  comparisons  between 
the  California  occurrences  and  those  in  other  parts  of  the  world;  and 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  29 

this  was  supplemented  in  his  reports  for  1884  and  1886.  The  last  and 
most  comprehensive  article  on  this  subject  was  that  of  Mr.ff.  W.  Turner, 
in  1899  ("Diamonds  in  California"),  published  in  the  American  Geol- 
ogist, Vol.  XXIII,  in  which  all  the  occurrences  are  given,  up  to 
that  time. 

The  geology  of  the  granitic  region  of  the  southwestern  section  of  the 
State,  spoken  of  formerly  as  San  Diego  County,  but  including  also  what 
is  now  the  County  of  Riverside — the  region  which  is  principally  treated 
of  in  this  report,  on  account  of  its  recent  very  notable  development  as 
a  gem  country — has  attracted  more  or  less  attention  from  an  early 
period,  and  has  been  described  partially  and  briefly  by  a  number  of 
observers.  Prof.  J.  D.  Whitney,  as  will  be  shown  further  on,  recognized 
some  of  its  leading  geographical  features  in  his  first  volume  on  the 
Geology  of  California,  published  in  1865.  Prof.  Rossiter  W.  Raymond, 
in  his  report  for  1872,  on  "  Statistics  of  Mines  and  Mining  West  of  the 
Rocky  Mountains,"  devotes  a  chapter  to  San  Diego  County  and  its 
early  gold  developments,  based  largely  on  the  studies  of  Mr.  C.  A. 
Lockhardt,  who  examined  and  reported  upon  it  in  1870.  Prof.  W.  A. 
Goodyear,  who  is  cited  herein,  later,  traveled  over  portions  of  the 
region  in  1872,  and  described  it  very  vividly  and  clearly,  although  his 
observations  did  not  appear  for  several  years.  Mr.  H.  G.  Hanks,  in 
his  sixth  report,  1886,  gave  an  account  of  San  Diego  County  and  its 
mineral  resources,  with  a  large  and  valuable  map.  Professor  Goodyear's 
observations,  above  noted,  appeared  in  the  ninth  report,  issued  by 
Mr.  Irelan,  in  1889. 

In  the  Proceedings  of  the  California  Academy  of  Sciences  for  1888, 
Mr.  Waldemar  Lindgren  published  a  series  of  "  Notes  on  the  Geology 
of  Baja  California"  (2d  series,  Vol.  I,  p.  173),  with  a  profile  from  San 
Diego  to  the  Colorado  Desert.  A  number  of  papers  and  articles  on  this 
region  have  appeared  since  1890,  among  which  the  following  may  be 
mentioned  :  Relation  of  the  metamorphic  and  granitic  rocks  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada  and  Coast  Ranges ;  H.  W.  Fairbanks ;  Amer.  Geologist, 
Vol.  XI,  1893,  p.  69 ;— Geological  sketch  of  Lower  California;  S.  F. 
Emmons  and  G.  P.  Merrill ;  Bull.  Geol.  Society  of  America,  Vol.  V, 
1894,  p.  489;— Geology  of  San  Diego  County;  H.  W.  Fairbanks;  West 
American  Scientist,  Vol.  X,  1901,  p.  86  ; — and  several  articles  by  Mr. 
C.  R.  Orcutt  on  Mines  and  Minerals  of  San  Diego  County  (the  same, 
Vol.  Ill,  p.  69)  and  on  the  Colorado  Desert  (the  same,  Vol.  VII,  1890, 
p.  55,  and  Vol.  XII,  1901,  p.  102),  and  previously  in  the  Tenth  Report  of 
the  State  Mining  Bureau,  1890. 

These  and  all  other  reports,  articles,  and  publications  of  whatever 
kind  on. California  geology,  may  be  found  recorded  in  accurate  detail, 
and  often  with  valuable  notes  on  any  special  features,  in  the  admirably 
careful  and  system^itic  bibliography  of  the   subject  prepared  for  the 


30  GEMS,  jewelers'  materials,  etc.,  op  calieornlv. 

state  jMiniii<j;  lUireaii  l)y  Hriuadier-General  Antlion\'  W.  Vogdes,  U.  S. 
Engineers,  and  published  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  as  Bulletin  No.  30- 

It  remains  to  speak  more  particularly  of  those  who  have  personally 
contributed,  directly  or  indirectly,  to  the  data  concerning  gem-minerals 
especially  dealt  with  in  this  report,  whether  as  workers  in  the  field 
of  actual  discovery  and  development,  or  as  collectors  and  students,  or 
as  correspondents  furnishing  valuable  facts.  In  many  cases,  they  have 
combined  some  or  all  of  these  relations,  and  it  is  a  pleasure  to  recognize 
their  services  in  any  of  these  departments. 

jSIr.  Melville  Attwood,  F.G.S.,  a  careful  worker,  a  microscopist  as 
well  as  a  mineralogist,  first  really  called  the  attention  of  the  world  to 
the  finding  of  diamonds  in  the  hydraulic  gold  washings  of  California, 
in  1854.  He  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  also  to  have  identified  the 
silver  ores  in  the  great  Comstock  lode.  He  was  a  mining  geologist  of 
recognized  ability,  and  contributed  important  papers  to  the  reports  of 
the  State  Mining  Bureau,  especially  that  on  the  milling  of  gold  quartz 
(Second  Report,  1882)  and  on  the  lithology  of  wall  rocks  (Eighth 
Report,  1888). 

Mr.  Henry  G.  Hanks,  the  first  State  Mineralogist  of  California,  had 
nuich  to  do  with  the  development  of  many  of  the  mineral  localities, 
and  his  admirable  reports  and  scientific  papers  kept  the  world  well 
informed  of  the  progress  of  mineralogy  and  mining  in  the  great  Golden 
State.  His  lists  of  minerals  have  been  already  referred  to;  while,  per- 
haps, his  most  prominent  special  work  was  that  on  the  borax  deposits, 
published  in  the  third  report  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  (1883). 

Under  his  successors,  the  scientific  work  of  the  Bureau  has  been 
worthily  carried  on,  and  the  collections  increased  to  their  j^resent  noble 
extent. 

Among  the  earlier  students  and  writers,  the  names  of  Prof.  William 
P.  Blake  and  Prof.  Benjamin  Silliman,  Jr.,  are  not  to  be  overlooked. 
The  former  prepared  the  earliest  list  of  rare  California  minerals,  for 
the  second  report  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  in  1882,  besides  numer- 
ous articles  in  scientific  journals;  and  the  latter  was  associated  with 
Professor  "Whitney  and  Mr.  Hanks,  as  far  back  as  1867,  in  the  cele- 
brated presentation  and  discussion  of  diamonds  from  the  gold  gravels, 
before  the  California  Academy  of  Sciences. 

Since  1878,  Mr.  Charles  Russell  Orcutt,  of  San  Diego,  Cal.,  editor  of 
the  West  Side  Scientist — a  modest  publication  that  has  yet  done  more 
than  any  other  concerning  the  flora  of  Lower  California — from  time  to 
time  made  excursions  for  plants,  especially  cacti,  and  during  these 
trips  collected  mineral  specimens  which  he  sent  to  the  author  for  deter- 
mination. His  was  the  first  information  received  of  the  great  lepido- 
lite  mine  at  Pala,  and  several  of  the  other  gem-producing  localities  in 
southern  California.     He  has  also  published   important  papers  in  the 


GEMS,    JE^^'ELERS'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  31 

reports  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  especially  on  the  mineralouy  and 
geology  of  the  Colorado  Desert  (Tenth  Report,  1890)  and  in  the  Min- 
ing and  Scientific  Press  for  the  same  year  (Vol.  VII). 

Mr.  Henry  S.  Burden,  for  many  years  curator  of  the  collection  of  the 
State  Mining  Bureau,  has  repeatedly  sent  the  writer  information  con- 
cerning the  occurrence  of  precious  stones  in  California,  using  great 
care  and  discrimination  in  transmitting  such  announcements. 

Mr.  Max  Braverman,  an  ardent  and  careful  collector  of  minerals, 
residing  at  Visalia,  Cal.,  has  for  a  long  time  been  contributing  valua- 
ble information  concerning  the  finding  of  the  topazolite,  chrysoprase, 
hyalite,  and  various  other  minerals  of  his  own  vicinity  and  region;  and 
recently,  with  a  public  spirit  and  generosity  worthy  of  the  highest 
citizenship,  he  has  presented  his  collection,  the  work  of  many  years,  to 
the  Golden  Gate  Museum  at  San  Francisco,  when  he  had  received  offers 
for  its  purchase  from  institutions  in  other  States. 

Mr.  Dwight  Whiting,  formerly  of  Boston,  has  long  been  interested  in 
securing  information  about  gem  localities  in  California,  and  since  1893 
has  furnished  many  new  and  valuable  facts,  which  have  been  recorded 
in  the  writer's  annual  reports  on  the  Production  of  Precious  Stones. 

\\'ith  regard  particularly  to  the  remarkable  discoveries  of  gem- 
minerals  in  the  last  few  years,  in  San  Diego  County  : — 

Mr.  Fred  M.  Sickler  and  his  father,  M.  M.  Sickler,  of  Pala,  have  for 
many  years  been  interested  in  the  subject  of  mineral  development  in 
southern  California,  and  it  was  Fred  M.  Sickler  who  first  sent  to  the 
writer  a  mineral  which  the  California  lapidaries  did  not  recognize,  and 
had  been  unable  to  cut,  owing  to  a  peculiar  cleavage.  This  mineral, 
when  it  reached  New  York,  was  identified  by  the  author  as  a  form  of 
spodumene,  and  was  subsequently  given  the  new  name  of  kunzite  by 
Dr.  Charles  Baskerville.  The  Messrs.  Sickler  have,  since  that  time, 
paid  much  attention  to  the  development  of  mining  properties  in  the 
Pala  region,  have  located  a  number  of  claims,  and  have  contributed 
many  descriptive  letters,  which  have  materially  aided  in  the  preparation 
of  this  State  report. 

Two  Basque  Frenchmen,  Bernardo  Heriart  (after  whom  Heriart 
^Mountain  is  named)  and  Pedro  Peiletch,  have  been  most  careful  pros- 
pectors, and  have  assisted  in  the  locating  of  a  number  of  claims,  in  the 
same  region,  of  kunzite  and  other  gem-minerals,  including  the  great 
Pala  Chief  mine,  of  which  the}^  were  apparently  the  first  discoverers. 

It  was  Frank  A.  Salmons,  now  County  Clerk  of  San  Diego  County, 
who  thoroughly  developed  the  Pala  Chief  mine,  in  which  have  been 
found  the  greatest  deposits  of  the  gem-spodumene  and  rubellite  in  that 
vicinity.'  To  him  is  due  the  credit  of  having  sent  the  finest  specimens 
of  these  minerals  from  California  that  had  yet  heen  seen. 

Dr.  W.  T.  Sehaller,  a  graduate  of  the  University  of  California,  visited 


82  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,    of    CALIFORNIA. 

llu"  -i't'iii  rogions  of  San  Diego  County  in  the  sunmier  of  1  *.)();>,  during 
the  preparation  of  his  thesis  on  spodumene,  which  was  ])uhhshed  hy 
the  University  of  California.  He  also  visited  the  State  in  June  and 
July  of  1904,  in  behalf  of  the  Department  of  Mining  Statistics  of  the 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  to  study  the  deposits  of  lithia  minerals  for  a 
bulletin  to  be  issued  l)y  the  Survey.  Tlie  results  of  this  investigation 
will  be  published  later. 

The  writer  himself  went  to  California  in  1890,  in  the  interest  of  the 
Eleventh  United  States  Census,  and  while  there  visited  a  number  of 
t  he  localities  and  local  collections.  He  also  published  all  the  information 
that  could  be  obtained  upon  the  subject  of  California  precious  stones  in 
his  volume  on  "Gems  and  Precious  Stones  of  North  America,"  issued 
in  New  York  in  1889,  and  the  two  appendices  to  it  in  1890  and  1892; 
and  also  annually  in  the  reports  of  the  Department  of  Mining  Statistics 
of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  which  have  appeared  from  1882  up  to 
the  current  year  (1905). 

With  special  reference  to  this  report  on  California  gems  herewith 
presented  to  the  State  Mineralogist,  Mr.  Aubury,  Mr.  W.  H.  Trenchard, 
of  San  Diego,  has  lately  visited  nearly  all  the  localities  of  precious  stones 
in  the  southern  portion  of  the  State,  making  measurements,  obtaining 
facts,  collecting  specimens,  and  securing  photographs,  many  of  which 
are  printed  herein. 

To  Mr.  Samuel  G.  Ingle,  of  San  Diego,  the  author  feels  under  great 
obligation  for  information,  specimens  and  photographs,  which  he  has 
sent  from  time  to  time,  and  which  have  assisted  in  presenting  many  of 
the  facts  contained  herein;  also  to  Mr.  H.  C.  Gordon,  who,  as  a  very  care- 
ful and  observant  correspondent,  has  furnished  numerous  data,  together 
with  many  specimens  of  the  gem-minerals  and  their  associations, 
as  well  as  photographs  of  localities,  several  of  which  are  reproduced  in 
the  following  pages. 

Thanks  are  due  to  the  Hon.  L.  E.  Aubury,  at  whose  suggestion  this 
precious-stone  report  was  njade,  and  under  whose  direction  the  list  of 
minerals  in  the  State  Mining  Bureau  was  prepared,  for  his  continued 
courtesy  in  furnishing  information,  photographs,  and  assistance  through- 
out the  entire  preparation  of  this  work. 

In  regard  to  the  future  of  precious-stone  mining  in  southern  Califor- 
nia, although  the  great  diamond  output  of  to-day  is  not  adequate  for 
the  world's  demand,  it  will  require  possibly  a  change  of  fashion  or  new 
adaptability  of  materials  to  consume  all  the  semi-precious  stones  that 
are  likely  to  develop  if  mining  is  continued  in  this  line  with  much 
more  energy.  California  as  a  tourist's-  resort  has  the  advantage  over 
many  other  places  in  being  an  attractive  country,  drawing  many  thou- 
sands of  strangers,  who  are  generally  more  or  less  affluent;  and  if  the 
precious  stones  themselves  are  handsomely  or  quaintly  cut,  and  are  in 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERLU.S,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORXIA.  33 

all  instances  what  they  are  represented  to  be.  there  is  likely  to  be  a 
large  demand  created  in  this  way.  Unfortunately,  at  other  places 
in  the  United  States,  foreign  or  artificial  minerals  have  been  sub- 
stituted for  native  material.  If  the  smoky  quartz,  lepidolite,  and  like 
minerals  were  worked  up  into  desk  weights,  seals,  charms,  etc.,  a  great 
quantity  could  also  be  sold  not  only  in  California,  but  elsewhere.  It 
Avas  the  development  of  an  industry  like  this  in  the  Ural  Mountains  of 
Russia,  brought  about  by  Catherine  II.  sending  two  lapidaries  to  that 
region,  that  led  to  the  employment  of  fully  one  thousand  people  in  the 
Ural  district.  As  the  chrysoprase,  the  turquoise,  and  the  tourmaline  of 
California,  when  not  of  fine  gem  quality,  have  been  cut  into  crude  beads 
of  East  Indian  type,  into  small  forms  of  mosaic  work,  and  the  like,  a 
large  quantity  of  this  material  has  found  a  definite  market  in  Europe  as 
well  as  in  the  United  States,  that  otherwise  would  have  been  a  loss  in 
mining.  The  development  of  proper  lapidary  interests  of  this  kind  will 
surely  do  much  to  sustain  the  mining  of  gems  in  California  and  add 
appreciably  to  the  wealth  of  the  gem  regions. 

THE  PROPERTIES  OF  GEMS. 

It  is  difficult  to  define  to-day  what  is  meant  by  ''.a  precious  stone," 
for  the  mineralogist  would  give  one  definition,  the  jeweler  another, 
the  archaeologist  still  a  different  one,  while  the  scientific  collector  and 
the  gatherer  of  curios  and  souvenirs  would  not  agree  with  any  of  the 
others.  A  gem-mineral  or  a  "precious  stone"  may  be  defined  as  a 
mineral  of  any  sort,  distinguished  for  its  beauty,  durability,  or  rarity, 
especially  when  cut  and  polished.  There  are  only  a  few  really  precious 
stones:  the  diamond,  the  ruby  and  sapphire  (identical  in  composition), 
the  emerald,  and  occasionally  the  pearl  (which  is  of  animal  origin) 
is  included;  formerly  also  the  opal. 

Some  twenty  years  ago  jewelers  sold  only  a  few  varieties  of  stones: 
to-day  they  keep  in  stock  anything  known  to  the  mineralogist  and 
demanded  by  the  public.  The  consumption  of  gems  is  larger  than 
most  people  realize.  Take  one  trade  alone,  for  example.  The  watches 
manufactured  annually  in  the  United  States  use  from  seven  to  twenty- 
one  jewels  for  each  watch.  The  consumption  annually  amounts  to  over 
five  million  ruby  and  sapphire  watch-jewels,  and  over  seven  million 
garnet  jewels;  while  over  15,000  carats  of  bort  diamonds  are  consumed 
in  cutting  these  jewels. 

In  looking  for  gems,  the  prospector  should  be  pro^-ided  with  a  few 
specimens  representing  the  scale  of  hardness,  and  have  the  means  in 
camp  to  determine  the  specific  gravity.  In  this  wa}-  he  can  separate 
the  positively  worthless  from  the  possibly  valuable,  even  though  he  can 
not  fully  identify  the  minerals. 
3— MB 


34  GEMS,    JE\VELERS'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 

A  large  nunil)er  of  the  many  varieties  of  i)recious  and  senii-i)recious 
stones  and  rare  minerals  are  found  in  California,  and  systematic  search 
will  increase  the  production  until  California  takes  high  rank  as  a  gem 
State.  In  1901,  California  produced  quartz  crystal  to  the  value  of 
$17,500;  tourmaline  to  the  value  of  $20,000;  and  turquoise,  over  $20,000; 
the  lepidolite  amounted  to  $27,500;  gold  quartz,  etc.,  over  $50,000; 
mother-of-pearl  and  pearls,  over  $15,000;  and  souvenir  material,  proba- 
ably  over  $20,000.  The  grand  total  amounted  to  nearly  $175,000.  Tn 
1903  kunzite  was  produced  to  a  value  of  $20,000;  tourmaline,  $20,000; 
chrysoprase,  $15,000;  turquoise,  $40,000. 

Color. — The  color  of  many  gems  is  variable;  the  sapphire  blue,  the 
ruby  red — both  varieties  of  the  one  species  of  corundum.  The  garnet 
is  popularly  supposed  to  be  a  blood-red  or  purplish-red  stone,  but  it 
varies  through  red  of  several  shades  to  brown,  black,  green,  yellow 
and  nearly  white;  the  tourmaline,  green,  red,  pink,  yellow,  white;  the 
topaz,  yellow,  white,  and  blue. 

Diaphaneity. — The  ability  to  transmit  light  affects  materially  both 
the  l)eauty  and  the  value.  A  stone  is  transparent  when  the  outline  of 
an  object  is  clearly  seen  through  it;  subtransparent,  when  the  object 
may  be  seen,  but  the  outline  is  indistinct;  translucent,  when  light  is 
transmitted,  but  objects  are  not  seen;  subtranslucent,  when  merely 
the  edges  are  translucent;  opaque,  when  no  light  is  transmitted. 

Luster.— Luster  is  the  manner  of  reflecting  light.  It  is  described  as 
metallic  luster,  or  the  brilliant  appearance  of  polished  metal;  adaman- 
tine, the  luster  of  the  diamond;  vitreous,  the  luster  of  glass;  resinous, 
like  the  surface  of  pine  resin;  waxy,  like  beeswax;  greasy,  like  a 
freshly  oiled  surface;  pearly,  like  mother-of-pearl;  silky,  having  the 
sheen  of  silk. 

Refraction. — The  apparent  breaking  of  a  spoon  when  immersed'in  a 
tumbler  of  water  is  a  familiar  illustration  of  the  bending  back  or  refrac- 
tion of  light.  A  line  seen  through  Iceland  spar  appears  double ;  diamond, 
garnet,  and  all  minerals  crystallizing  in  the  isometric  system  are  single 
refracting:  All  minerals  belonging  to  other  systems  of  crystallization, 
like  the  ruby  and  topaz,  are  double  refracting. 

Dispersion.— When  a  ray  of  light  passes  through  a  prism  of  flint 
glass,  it  gives  the  spectrum  or  rainbow  band.  Refracted  rays  of  white 
light  may  be  decomposed  into  several  rays  differently  colored.  This 
is  called  dispersion,  and  gives  "fire"  to  gems,  notably  in  diamonds  and 
zircons. 

Pleochroism. — Double  refracting  minerals  show  a  variation  in  color 
by  transmitted  light,  when  viewed  in  different  directions,  due  to  the 
differential  absorption  of  the  white  light.  Tourmaline,  andalusite, 
iolite,  chrysoberyl,  and  epidote  are  good  examples. 


GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV.  35 

^Fluorescence  and  Phosphorescence. — Some  gems,  when  exposed  to 
a  powerful  light,  or  when  heated,  will  emit  light.  If  this  emission  of 
light  lasts  only  as  long  as  the  exciting  agent  is  applied,  it  is  called 
fluorescence;  whereas,  if  the  emission  persists  after  the  removal  of  the 
cause,  it  is  called  phosphorescence. 

,  Hardness. — The  degree  of  resistance  to  abrasion.  This  property  is 
most  essential  to  gems,  if  they  are  to  receive  and  retain  a  high  degree 
of  polish  and  stand  long  use.  Hardness  is  not  the  same  as  toughness. 
The  diamond  is  very  hard,  but  not  tough — in  fact,  it  is  very  brittle, 
easily  broken  by  a  blow. 

Scale  of  Hardness, 

1.  Talc  (lowe^it).  (3.  Orthoclase. 

2.  Gypsum.  7.  Quartz. 

3.  Calcite.  8.  Topaz. 

4.  Fluorite.  9.  Corundum. 

5.  Apatite.  10.  Diamond  (highest). 

Should  the  gem  scratch  {note:  quartz  will  scratch  feldspar)  and  be 
scratched  by  any  unit  of  the  scale,  the  hardness  of  the  two  is  the  same; 
should  the  gem  scratch  the  one  below,  and  be  scratched  by  the  one 
above,  its  hardness  lies  between  that  of  the  two  test  units. 

Specific  Gravity. — This  is  the  density  of  the  gem,  compared  with 
that  of  its  own  volume  of  distilled  water  at  a  temperature  of  39°  F. 
Weigh  in  the  air,  then  in  water;  divide  the  weight  in  the  air  by  the  loss 
of  weight  in  water,  and  the  quotient  is  the  specific  gravity.  For  exam- 
ple, a  gem  weighs  4  grams  in  air,  and  only  3  when  immersed  in  water; 
then  the  loss  of  weight  is  1,  and  4  divided  by  1  gives  the  specific  gravity 
of  4.  The  specific  gravity  test  is  one  of  the  most  definite  means  of 
identifying  a  gem. 

Electricity. — Some  gems  become  electrified  by  friction,  and  as  a  result 
attract  or  repel  certain  substances.  This  is  especially  noticeable  in 
topaz,  tourmaline,  and  amber. 

Fusion. — Some  gems  wall  melt  easily  before  the  blowpipe,  as  some 
varieties  of  garnet,  kunzite,  etc.;  while  others  are  infusil)le,  like  quartz, 
topaz,  etc. 

Cleavag'e. — The  tendency  to  break  in  a  direction  parallel  to  certain 
planes  in  the  crystal,  the  resulting  cleavage  faces  being  smooth  and 
often  very  brilliant. 

Fracture. — When  the  mineral  is  broken  in  any  other  direction  than 
that  of  the  cleavage.  The  fracture  may  be  conchoidal,  uneven,  or 
irregular,  resembling  a  shell,  even  when  the  surface,  though  not  a  plane, 
approximates  to  one;  or  hackly,  when  the  elevations  are  jagged. 


36  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,    etc.,    op    CALIFORNIA, 

Form. — Tlie  external  form  of  gein-nnnevals  may  be: 

1.  Crystallized^  in  solids  bound  l)y  plane  surfaces,  according  to  the 
following  systems: 

Isometric — cube,  octahedron,  dodecahedron; 

Tetragonal — sc^uare  prism,  square  octahedron; 

Hexagonal — hexagonal  prisms  and  pyramids,  rhombohedrons; 

Orthorhombic — right  prism  with  rhombic  base,  rhombic  octahedron; 

Monoclinic — ol)lique  prism  with  a  rectangular  base,  and  oblicpic  octa- 
hedron ; 

Triclinic — douldy  oblique  prism,  and  dou])ly  oblique  o(;tahedron  or 
pyramid. 

2.  Crystalline,  when  the  mass  appears  to  be  made  up  of  closely  com- 
pacted minute  crystals,  which  may  be  arranged  as  columnar,  lamellar, 
granular,  globular,  botryoidal,  reniform,  dendritic,  etc.,  in  varieties  too 
numerous  to  be  mentioned  here. 

3.  Amorphous,  showing  neither  external  nor  internal  signs  of  crystal- 
lization and  possessing  no  absolutely  plane  surfaces. 

DIAMOND. 

H.^IO.  G.=  3.52.  The  hardest  of  all  gems;  the  only  combustible 
one;  the  most  highly  refractive,  surpassing  all  others  in  its  "fire"; 
crystallizing  usually  in  octahedrons,  or  combinations  of  octahedron, 
cube,  dodecahedron,  and  tetrahedron,  the  faces  being  commonly  curved. 
Colors  embrace  nearly  all  of  the  prismatic  hues;  white,  yellow,  and 
brown  are  the  most  numerous,  blue,  green,  pink,  and  red  stones  are 
rare.  The  perfectly  white  stones  without  a  flaw,  or  those  of  decided 
tints  of  red,  rose,  green,  or  blue,  are  most  highly  prized.  Fine  cinnamon, 
salmon,  brown,  black,  or  yellow  are  much  esteemed.  They  are  sold 
by  the  carat;  the  international  carat  weighs  205  milligrams,  or  3.168  + 
grains  troy. 

This  stone  is  the  purest,  hardest,  and  most  brilliant  of  all  gems. 

The  occasional  discovery  of  diamonds  within  the  limits  of  the  United 
States,  although  at  widely  separated  j)oints,  and  rarely  of  valuable 
quality  or  size,  is  yet  a  matter  of  very  considerable  interest. 

The  various  points  at  which-  diamonds  have  been  found  may  be 
grouped  into  four  areas  or  regions,  as  follows: 

1.  The  Pacific  coast— a  number  of  localities  in  California,  chiefly 
along  the  western  base  of  the  Sierra  Nevada;  with  these  may  perhaps  be 
included  provisionally,  a  few  occurrences  in  Oregon,  Idaho,  and 
Montana. 

2.  The  region  of  the  great  lakes — along  an  irregular  line  extending 
from  western  Wisconsin,  across  Michigan  and  Indiana  to  the  vicinity 
of  Cincinnati,  Ohio — this  line  being  essentially  that  of  the  terminal 
moraine  of  the  later  ice-sheet  of  Quaternary  geological  time. 


GEMS^    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  37 

3.  A  few  localities  in  central  Kentucky  and  eastern  Tennessee,  the 
rela^ons  of  which  are  not  entirely  clear  as  to  their  geological  connection. 

4.  The  Atlantic  coast — a  number  of  points  in  North  Carolina,  and  a 
few  in  Virginia,  Georgia,  and  Alabama,  lying  in  a  general  way  along 
the  eastern  base  of  the  Appalachian  Mountains,  some  quite  among  them 
and  others  farther  removed  toward  the  east. 

The  occurrence  of  diamonds  in  California,  both  in  the  recent  placer 
deposits  and  in  the  auriferous  gravels  of  the  ancient  stream-beds  now 
covered  by  lava,  has  been  known  for  many  years,  and  a  number  of 
localities  are  on  record.  No  large  diamonds  have  been  found,  at  any 
time;  and  now  that  almost  all  the  gold  mining  is  carried  on  by  means 
of  stamp-mills,  any  that  do  occur  are  crushed  into  minute  fragments, 
which  are  not  infrecjuently  found  in  the  sluices  and  batteries,  and 
furnish  the  evidence,  and  often  all  the  evidence,  of  their  continued 
occurrence. 

Many  notices  have  from  time  to  time  appeared,  both  in  local  news- 
papers and  in  scientific  journals,  of  the  finding  of  diamonds  in  Cali- 
fornia. After  making  due  allowance  for  errors  and  unfounded  rumors, 
their  actual  occurrence  in  certain  localities  is  well  established;  but  their 
number  and  size  have  not  been  such  as  to  render  the  search  for  them 
profitable.  The  fact  of  their  presence  is  highly  interesting,  and  some 
of  the  specimens  possess  both  elegance  and  value;  but  as  a  rule  they 
are  small  and  rare.  In  almost  all  cases  they  occur  embedded  in  the 
auriferous  gravels,  and  are  thence  washed  out  in  the  search  for  gold. 
These  gold-bearing  gravels  of  California  present  two  types:  first,  as 
loose  material  in  the  valleys  and  bars  of  the  modern  streams;  and, 
second,  as  great  accumulations  of  gravel  occupying  the  valleys  of 
much  larger  ancient  streams,  and  now  covered  with  masses  of  lava  or 
compact  volcanic  tufa.  The  sides  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  are  trenched 
with  cross  valleys  running  down  into  the  great  trough-like  valley  of  cen- 
tral California,  between  the  Sierra  on  the  east  and  the  Coast  Range  on 
the  west.  Along  this  great  depression,  the  drainage  from  the  moun- 
tains on  both  sides  finds  its  way  to  the  sea  through  the  Sacramento  and 
San  Joaquin  rivers,  flowing  respectively  from  the  north  and  from  the 
south  into  the  Bay  of  San  Francisco,  where  a  break  in  the  Coast  Range, 
at  the  Golden  Gate,  allows  a  passage  to  the  ocean.  In  the  northern 
part  of  the  State,  where  the  streams  from  the  Sierra  run  down  to  the 
Sacramento,  this  remarkable  system  of  "buried  river  gravels''  is  found. 
In  and  before  the  Tertiary  period  of  geology,  these  streams  had  worn  val- 
leys on  the  slopes  of  the  Sierra,  and  made  extensive  deposits  of  gravel,  by 
the  erosion  of  the  mountain-sides.  Then  came  a  period,  or  a  succes- 
sion, of  volcanic  disturbances  and  outflows,  which  made  the  great 
*•  lava  beds "  of  northern  California  and  Oregon.  In  many  cases  the 
lava  flowed  down  and  filled  up  the  river-beds  from  side  to  side,  covering 


38  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,    etc.,    op    CALIFORNIA. 

the  gravel  deposits  deeply,  and  often  liardcning  and  compacting  them. 
"When  it  had  cooled  sufficiently  for  normal  conditions  to  be  at  all 
resumed,  the  drainage  of  the  Sierra  had  to  make  its  way  by  new  lines. 
These  were  usually  along  the  edges  of  the  old  valleys,  on  the  top  of  the 
lava  filling,  at  its  junction  with  the  sides  of  the  former  valleys.  In  the 
time  that  has  since  elapsed,  these  new  valleys  have  been  cut  down 
deeper  than  the  previous  ones,  at  the  expense  of  the  intervening  old 
divides;  and  the  present  condition  is  that  the  eastern  affluents  of  the 
Sacramento  are  separated  frequently  by  spurs  running  out  from  the 
Sierra,  which  consist  at  their  top  of  the  old  gravels,  more  or  less 
compacted,  with  a  heavy  protecting  cap  of  lava  or  tufa.  These  old 
"sub-lava"  gravels  are  those  worked  by  the  hydraulic  process,  or  when 
consolidated  into  the  so-called  "cement"  beds,  by  stamp-mills — all  of 
them  being  gold-bearing  and  in  some  cases  diamond-bearing.  The 
surface,  gravels  of  the  earlier  prospecting  and  panning  days  are  of 
course  the  work  of  the  modern  streams;  they  carry  the  placer  gold,  and 
occasionally  a  few  diamonds. 

There  are  some  points  in  these  occurrences  that  recall,  at  first  sight, 
the  diamond  mines  of  Brazil  and  South  Africa. 

In  Brazil  the  matrix  is  also  a  gravel,  and  is  frequently  cemented  into 
a  conglomerate  ("cascalho")  by  oxide  of  iron.  In  Africa  the  diamond 
gravels  contain  associated  minerals  similar  to  those  found  in  some  of 
the  California  placers,  notably  in.  those  of  Butte  County,  where  zircons, 
garnets,  and  rutile  are  met  with.  But  these  are  not  important  rela- 
tions, and  afford  no  ground  for  assuming  either  a  similar  richness  of 
yield  or  an  identity  of  geological  origin. 

The  earliest  notice  of  a  California  diamond  appeared  very  soon  after 
the  discovery  of  gold.  It  was  published  in  the  American  Journal  of 
Science,  September,  1849  (II,  vol.  8,  p.  294),  and  relates  how  a  clergy- 
man from  New  England,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Lyman,  had  been  shown  an 
unmistakable  diamond-crystal,  of  pale  straw  color,  with  convex  faces, 
about  the  size  of  a  small  pea.  He  only  saw  it  briefly,  and  the  circum- 
stances of  its  discovery,  the  exact  locality,  and  what  became  of  it  are 
not  known.  In  1853  the  first  diamond  was  obtained  from  the  Cherokee 
district,  in  Butte  County,  which  has  since  been  one  of  the  principal 
localities.  In  1854,  Mr.  Melville  Attwood  published  an  article  in  a 
newspaper,  pointing  out  certain  resemblances  between  the  California 
deposits  and  the  diamond  gravels  of  Brazil,  where  he  had  long  resided, 
and  advising  that  search  be  made  and  care  exercised,  in  view  of  the 
possible  or  probable  occurrence  of  diamonds  in  the  California  gold- 
washings.  From  that  time  on,  diamonds  have  been  found  at  many 
points;  though  a  far  larger  number  of  them  have  been  lost  or  de- 
stroyed— either  swept  away  by  the  violent  current  of  the  hydraulic 
mining,  and  buried  in  masses  of  debris,  or  crushed  into  fragments  by 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNL\.  39 

stamp-mills.  In  1867,  Professor  Benjamin  Silliman,  Jr.,  exhibited 
several  diamonds  before  the  California  Academy  of  Sciences,  including 
one  from  the  Cherokee  district  above  noted,  one  from  Fiddletown,  near 
Volcano,  in  Amador  County,  another  from  El  Dorado  County,  and 
still  another  from  French  Corral,  Nevada  County — most  of  them  from 
the  hard  "cement"  beds  underlying  the  lava-flows.  At  the  same 
meeting.  Prof.  J.  D.  Whitney  enumerated  some  fifteen  or  twenty 
localities  in  the  State  that  had  yielded  diamonds,  adding  that  the 
largest  stone  he  had  seen  was  7i  carats;  most  of  them  being  quite  small. 
The  total  number  of  California  diamonds  must  now  be  quite  con- 
siderable. Mr.  H.  W.  Turner,  of  Washington,  D.  C,  has  recently 
sunmied  up  the  facts  in  an  article  on  "The  Occurrence  and  Origin  of 
Diamonds  in  California,"  published  in  the  American  Geologist,  Vol. 
XXIII,  March,  1899,  pp.  182-191.  He  quotes  from  Prof.  J.  D.  Whitney, 
and  more  recently  from  Mr.  Henry  G.  Hanks,  formerly  State  Geolo- 
gist, who  paid  much  attention  to  this  subject,  and  gives  a  list  of 
localities  compiled  from  these  two  authorities.  This  list  includes  six 
counties,  to  which  have  since  been  added  two  others,  Plumas  and 
Tulare.  These  counties  are  (in  geographical  order)  as  follows:  Del 
Norte,  Trinity,  Plumas,  Butte,  Nevada,  El  Dorado,  Amador,  and  Tulare; 
making  eight  in  all.  Of  these,  Del  Norte  and  Trinity  stand  apart,  in 
the  northwestern  portion  of  the  State,  with  streams  flowing  from  the 
Coast  Range  into  the  Pacific;  they  have  yielded  only  minute  diamonds, 
in  the  sands  of  Smith  River  and  Trinity  River  respectively.  Tulare 
County,  belonging  in  the  San  Joaquin  section  of  the  great  California 
valley,  is  represented  so  far  only  by  a  single  diamond,  from  Alpine 
Creek.  The  other  five  are  all  in  the  region  drained  by  the  Sacramento, 
as  above  described.  El  Dorado,  Butte,  and  Amador  have  yielded  the 
greatest  number,  and  Nevada  the  largest  stone — that  of  7^  carats, 
referred  to  by  Professor  Whitney — but  only  one  or  two  others.  Plumas 
County  has  two  localities.  Gopher  Hill  and  Upper  Spanish  Creek,  where 
a  few  small  diamonds  have  been  found  in  sands  rich  in  heavy  minerals, 
as  in  Trinity  and  Del  Norte.  The  other  three  counties  above  named 
have  furnished  most  of  the  diamonds  of  California.  Amador  contains 
the  Volcano  district,  whence  a  number  have  come,  among  them  one 
of  the  largest,  a  pale  straw-colored  crystal,  weighing  2o5  milligrams 
(Ij  carats).  Butte  County  includes  the  famous  Cherokee  district,  where 
sixty  or  more  have  been  found;  also  Yankee  Hill  and  Oroville,  each  of 
which  has  yielded  several.  El  Dorado  County  has  five  or  six  localities 
near  Placerville.  Mr.  Turner  quotes  Mr.  George  W.  Kimble,  of  that 
place,  as  saying  that  most  of  the  El  Dorado  specimens  have  come  from 
"  a  point  a  little  south  of  Smith's  Flat  and  White  Rock  Canon,"  in 
Neocene  river-gravels;  Webber  Hill,  in  the  same  neighborhood,  has  also 
yielded  several.     From  their  geographical  position,  it  would  seem  that 


I 


40  GEMS,   jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

similar  diamond  occurrences  might  bo  naturally  expected  in  the 
comities  of  Yuba,  Sierra,  and  Placer. 

Comparing  the  South  African  occurrence  of  diamonds,  in  a  serpen- 
tinous  rock  apparently  derived  from  the  alteration  of  a  peridotite,  Mr. 
Turner  notes  the  fact  that  on  the  maps  of  the  gold-belt,  prepared  by  the 
U.  S.  (leological  Survey,  serpentine  masses  are  indicated  in  the  vicinity 
of  all  the  above-named  localities;  he  also  cites  Mr.  Kimble,  of  Placer- 
ville,  as  stating  that  serpentine  pebbles  are  frequent  in  the  diamond- 
bearing  gravels  near  that  place,  the  rock  itself  outcropping  four  or  five 
miles  to  the  east.  Mr.  Turner  suggests  the  examination  of  the  gulches 
lying  in  these  serpentine  outcrops,  as  of  interest  and  possible  impor- 
tance, with  reference  to  the  source  Avhence  the  diamonds  have  actually 
come.  This  is  as  yet  unknown;  and  though  the  African  rock  resembles 
a  peridotite,  or  its  decomposed  and  serpentinized  product,  yet  this  is  by 
no  means  the  only  rock  in  which  diamonds  may  occur.  Those  of  Brazil, 
according  to  Prof.  0.  A.  Derby's  recent  studies,  are-from  rocks  that  are 
apparently  metamorphic  in  origin,  rather  than  igneous;  and  the  whole 
problem  awaits  the  results  of  further  study. 

Taking  up  the  actual  discoveries  somewhat  more  in  detail,  and  dating 
from  the  meeting  of  the  California  Academy  of  Sciences  in  1867,  before 
referred  to,  when  Prof.  Benjamin  Silliman,  Jr.,  and  Prof.  J.  D.  Whitney 
presented  the  subject  fully,  the  principal  facts  are  as  follows,  arranged 
(1)  by  counties,  and  in  these  (2)  in  order  of  time. 

Amador  County. — Of  the  several  diamonds  exhibited  by  Professor 
Silliman  on  the  occasion  mentioned,*  one  specimen,  a  little  over  1  carat 
in  weight  (3.6  grains),  was  from  Indian  Gulch,  near  Ficldletown;  and 
four  others  from  the  same  region  were  at  that  time  known.  These 
stones  occurred  in  a  compact  volcanic  ash  or  tufa,  forming  a  gray 
"cement-gravel."  At  Volcano  the  rock  is  similar,  and  some  sixty  or 
seventy  diamonds  have  been  reported  thus  far.  This  is  one  of  the 
places  where  the  cement-rock  is  worked  by  stamping,  and  the  tailings 
show  pulverized  diamonds.  The  crushed  gravel  pays  well  in  gold;  and 
it  has  not  l.)een  thought  desirable  to  change  the  present  method  and 
break  up  the  rock  in  other  wa3''s  more  costly  and  troublesome,  in 
order  to  save  the  diamonds  that  it  may  contain.  In  August,  1887,  Mr. 
Hanks  exhibited  before  the  San  Francisco  Microscopical  Society  a 
beautiful  stone  of  1.57  carat  weight  (4.97  grains),  found  at  Volcano  in 
1882,  l)elonging  to  J.  Z.  Davis,  a  member  of  the  society,  and  now  in 
the  museum  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau.  It  is  a  modified  octahedron, 
about  ^^0  ii^ch  in  diameter,  transparent  and  nearly  colorless,  though 
slightly  flawed.  The  curvature  of  the  faces  gives  the  crystal  a  sub- 
spherical  form,  but  the  edges  of  the  pyramids  are  channels  instead  of 
planes.     Closer  examination  shows  that  the  channeled  edges,  the  convex 

*Proc.  Cal.  Acad.  Sci.,  Vol.  Ill,  p.  354. 


GEMS.    JEWELERS      MATERIALS.    ETC.,    OF    C.VLIFORXLV. 


41 


faces,  and  the  solid  angles  are  caused  by  an  apparently  secondary 
building  up  of  the  faces  of  a  perfect  octahedron;  and  for  the  same 
reason  the  girdle  is  not  a  perfect  square,  but  has  a  somewhat  circular 
form.  These  observations  were  well  shown  by  enlarged  drawings. 
The  faces  seem  to  be  composed  of  thin  plates  overlying  each  other, 
each  slightly  smaller  than  the  last.  These  plates  are  triangular,  but 
the  lines  forming  the  triangles  are  curved,  and  the  edges  of  the  plates 
are  beveled.  Mr.  Hanks  remarked  that  under  the  microscope  and  by 
drawings  exhibited  it  could  be  seen  that  each  triangular  plate  was 
composed  of  three  smaller  triangles  and  that  all  the  lines  were  slightly 
curved.  The  building  up  of  plate  upon  plate  caused  the  channeled 
edges  and  the  somewhat  globular  form  of  this  exquisite  crystal.  A 
close  examination  revealed  tetrahedral  impressions,  as  if  the  corners  of 
minute  cubes  had  been  imprinted  on  the  surface  of  the  crystal  while  in 


ILL.  Xo.  7.  Diamond,  natural 
crystal,  found  at  Volcano, 
Amador   County. 


ILL.  No.  S.  Rough  diamond, 
found  in  Spring  Valley 
Hydraulic  Mine.  Cherokee 
Flat.  Butte  County. 


a  plastic  state.  These  are  the  result  of  the  law  of  crystallization,  as 
was  shown  by  the  faint  lines  forming  a  lace-work  of  tiny  triangles  on 
the  faces  when  the  stone  was  placed  in  a  proper  light.  Mr.  Hanks 
concluded  with  the  remark  that  it  would  be  an  act  of  vandalism  to  cut 
this  beautiful  crystal,  which  is  doubly  a  gem,  and  he  protested  against 
its  being  destroyed  by  contact  with  the  lapidary's  wheel.  Four  small 
octahedral  crystals  taken  from  stamps  at  the  Volcano  locality  were 
shown  in  the  Tiffany  collection  of  American  precious  stones  at  the 
Paris  Exposition  of  1889.  and  are  now  in  the  Tiffany-Morgan  collection, 
at  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History.  New  York  City. 

Butte  County. — The  Cherokee  district,  in  this  county,  has  been, 
from  as  early  a  date  as  185.3,  one  of  the  most  prolific  diamond  local- 
ities in  the  State.  Cherokee  is  near  the  North  Fork  of  Feather  River, 
and  the  geological  relations  of  the  diamonds  and  gold  are  essentially 
the  same  as  those  in  Amador  Countv.  a  hundred  miles  to  the  south- 


42  (iKMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC..    OP    CALIFORNL\. 

oast,  botli  districts  lyinii-  aiiioii,^  the  western  foothills  of  the  Sierra,  as 
previously  (lescril)e(l.  Mr.  Hanks  called  attention  to  iiichnU'd  leaf 
impressions  in  the  volcanic  beds,  as  proving  them  to  he  tufas  and  not 
lavas.  In  nunilx'i-,  the  Cherokee  diamonds  obtained  are  about  e(|ual 
to  those  from  N'oleano.  One  was  shown  by  Professor  Silliman,  on  the 
occasion  already  mentioned,  in  1867;  and  others  were  then  known 
from  that  locality.  William  Brandreth  obtained  a  crystal  in  the  same 
year,  which  he  afterwards  had  cut  into  a  fine  white  stone  of  ly\ 
carats.  In  1873  several  were  obtained  from  the  ground  of  the  h^pring 
Valley  and  Cherokee  Mining  Company,  in  cleaning  u^)  the  sluices. 
One  of  these  was  described  as  large  and  straw-colored,  while  others 
were  smaller,  but  very  pure.  Various  stones,  white,  yellow,  and  pink, 
have  from  time  to  time  been  reported,  and  some  have  been  cut  and  set. 
A  fine  crystal  was  presented  to  the  State  Museum  by  Mr.  Williams, 
superintendent  of  the  Spring  Valley  Mining  Company.  Two  others, 
found  at  the  same  place  in  the  summer  of  1881,  by  Lucinda  Voight, 
were  shown  by  the  present  writer  before  the  New  York  Academy  of 
Sciences,  January  12,  1886.  Mr.  H.  S.  Burden,  of  the  California  State 
Mining  Bureau,  reports  that  two  small  diamonds  were  obtained  at 
Cherokee  in  1892  and  1893,  one  of  them  weighing  two  carats. 

Professor  Silliman  made  the  concentrations  from  the  sluices  of  these 
Cherokee  mines  the  subject  of  minute  investigation,  the  results  of  which 
were  published  in  two  papers.*  In  the  first  he  described  his  treatment 
of  the  material,  both  chemical  and  mechanical;  and  in  the  second  he 
gives  additional  particulars,  with  results.  He  found  here  the  following 
association  of  interesting  minerals: — light-colored' zircons,  crystals  of 
topaz,  fragments  of  quartz,  rutile,  epidote,  pyrite,  and  limonite,  with 
some  platinum,  iridium,  iridosmine,  and  gold,  and  a  large  quantity  of 
black  grains,  which  are  proved  by  the  magnet  to  consist  about  equally 
of  chromite  and  titanite.  At  first  he  could  find  but  little  of  the  platinum 
and  iridosmine,  l)ut  this  was  due,  as  above  stated,  to  the  force  of  the 
hydraulic  streams,  which  sweep  away  all  small  particles  that  do  not 
amalgamate. 

Mr.  Hanks  adds  that  platinum  minerals  have  been  found  rather 
abundantly  in  Butte  County.  At  St.  Clair  Flat,  near  Pentz,  they  were 
found  in  quantity  in  the  early  days  of  placer-mining.  They  are  found 
also  at  the  Corbier  mine,  near  Magalia  (Dogtown).  As  far  back  as 
1861  a  diamond  was  found  one  and  a  half  miles  northwest  of  Yankee 
Hill,  in  cleaning  up  a  placer  mine.  It  was  taken  from  the  sluice  with 
the  gold,  and  sold  to  N.  H.  Wells,  to  whom  I  am  indebted  for  this  infor- 
mation. He  presented  the  gem  to  John  Bidwell  of  Chico,  who  had  it 
cut  in  Boston.     It  made  a  stone  of  1^  carats  (4.75  grains).     Mr.  Bidwell 

*See  mineralogical  notes  on  LTtah,  California,  and  Nevada,  in  the  Eng.  &  Min.  Jour., 
VoL  XVII,  p.  148,  March  11,  1873;  and  Am.  J.  Sci.  (3),  Vol.  VI,  p.  127,  August,  1873. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV.  45 

gave  it  to  liis^  wife,  who  for  years  wore  it  in  a  rino-.     This  was  the  only 
diamond  found  at  this  locality. 

In  1895  Mr.  Dwight  Whiting  reported  the  finding  of  five  small 
diamonds  near  Oroville,  on  Feather  River,  and  as  many  more  about 
four  miles  from  the  head  of  the  creek,  suggesting  a  peridotite  origin. 

Kl  Dorado  County. — Here  a  number  of  diamonds  have  been  found 
at  certain  points.  In  1867  Professor  Silliman,  at  the  meeting  O'f  the 
California  Academy  of  Sciences,  before  mentioned,  showed  a  crystal  of 
1^  carats  (4.75  grains),  of  good  color,  though  a  little  defective,  from 
Forest  Hill.  It  was  found  at  great  depth,  in  a  tunnel  run  into  the 
auriferous  gravel.  W.  P.  Carpenter,  of  Placerville,  gave  the  following 
account  of  the  locality  in  a  letter  to  ]\Ir.  Hanks,  in  1882:  "In  1871, 
W.  A.  Goodyear,  Assistant  State  Oeologist,  while  examining  the  deposits 
of  auriferous  gravels  in  the  ancient  river-bed,  about  three  miles  east  of 
Placerville,  found  several  specimens  of  itacolumite,  and  expressed  the 
opinion  that  diamonds  should  be  found  in  the  gravels.  I  assisted  him 
in  searching  for  them,  and  we  found  several  in  the  hands  of  the  miners. 
Mr.  Goodyear  bought  one  of  them  as  a  geological  specimen.  None  of 
the  parties  who  had  them  knew  what  they  were,  but  kept  them  as  curi- 
osities. The  gravel  in  the  channel  is  capped  with  lava  from  50  to  450 
feet  in  depth.  Of  late  years  the  gravel  is  worked  by  stamp  gravel  mills, 
and  I  know  of  instances  where  fragments  of  broken  diamonds  have  been 
found  in  panning  out  the  batteries." 

He  goes  on  to  give  the  particulars  of  about  fifteen  diamonds  obtained 
at  different  times  in  the  neighborhood,  some  yellow  and  some  white. 
One  of  these  was  a  nearly  spherical  crystal,  over  one  fourth  of  an  inch 
in  diameter,  that  was  sold  in  San  Francisco  for  $300,  and  another  was 
sent  to  England  to  be  cut.  Subsequently  in  1894,  Mr.  Carpenter 
announced  that  he  had  lately  obtained  two  crystals,  one  weighing  over 
7  grains  troy  and  the  other  6,  of  rounded  form  and  rough  surface,  each 
nearly  one  fourth  of  an  inch  in  diameter  and  faintly  tinted,  the  larger 
with  a  greenish  shade  and  the  smaller  with  pale  yellowish.  As  many 
as  forty  or  fifty  small  diamonds  have  been  taken  from  the  gravel  at 
this  place  from  time  to  time  in  the  past,  but  since  stamp-mills  have  been 
employed  little  is  found  but  the  crushed  fragments  encountered  in 
"panning  up"  the  amalgam  taken  from  the  batteries.  Mr.  Carpenter 
proposed  to  work  his  section  of  the  channel  by  other  means,  to  avoid 
the  possible  loss  of  diamonds  of  more  value  than  the  gold.  The  occur- 
rence here  is  described  as  similar  to  that  of  most  California  diamonds — 
in  the  hard  compacted  gold-bearing  gravel  occupying  ancient  river 
channels  now  filled  and  overlain  by  igneous  rocks.* 

In  the  recently  published  article  of  Mr.  H.  W.  Turner, f  elsewhere 

*  Sixteenth  Ann.  Rept.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey  (1894),  Part  IV,  p.  596. 

tThe  Occurrence  and  Origin  of  Diamonds  in  California;  bv  H.  W.  Turner.  Amer. 
Geologist,  Vol.  XXIII,  March,  1899,  pp.  183,  184. 


4-i  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIPORNLV. 

referred  to,  ii  letter  from  George  W.  Kiml)le,  of  Placerville,  is  quoted  in 
regard  to  the  diamonds  of  that  vicinity.  He  states  that  two  more  had 
been  found  on  the  property  of  Thomas  Ward  &  Co.,  on  the  south  side 
of  White  Rock  Canon,  where  the  stream  cuts  through  beds  of  Neocene 
Tertiary,  and  nine  others  in  the  immediate  vicinity,  chiefly  from  the 
Unity  mine,  adjacent  to  that  of  the  Ward  Company;  but  no  particulars 
nre  given  as  to  their  size  or  quality.  Besides  these,  Mr.  Kimble  reports 
a  great  many  fragments  of  crushed  diamonds  in  the  concentrates  from 
the  gravel  mills.  Later,  1898,  he  mentions  having  examined  a  diamond 
found  within  the  limits  of  the  town  of  Placerville,  in  Cedar  Ravine,  a 
tributary  of  Hangtown  Creek.  The  name  of  Diamond  has  been  given  to 
a  small  railroad  station  a  few  miles  south  of  Placerville. 

Nevada  County. — Professor  Silliman  also  showed  to  the  California 
Academy  of  Sciences  a  very  clear  and  symmetrical  crystal  from  French 
Corral,  Nevada  County.  It  was  thrown  out  of  the  cement-rock  of  deep 
gold  washings,  as  usual,  and  weighed  If  carats  (5.11  grains).  The 
<!olor  was  slightly  yellowish;  but  this  was  perhaps  due  to  its  having  been 
exposed  to  a  red  heat,  as  a  test  of  its  authenticity.  Prof.  Joseph  D. 
Whitney,  of  Harvard  College,  stated,  at  the  same  meeting,  that  diamonds 
had  been  found  in  some  fifteen  or  twenty  localities  in  the  State,  and 
that  the  largest  that  he  had  seen  was  also  from  French  Corral  and 
weighed  7i  carats. 

In  the  northwestern  counties  of  California,  drained  by  the  Trinity 
River,  in  the  vicinity  of  Coos  Bay,  in  Oregon,  and  on  the  banks  of 
Smith  River,  Del  Norte  County,  diamonds  are  occasionally  found  in  the 
flumes  and  sluices.  Some  small  ones  are  reported  from  Trinity  County; 
and  their  mode  of  occurrence,  similar  to  that  of  the  diamonds  of 
Cherokee  district  and  of  Oregon,  is  described  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Charles 
F.  Chandler,  of  the  Columbia  College  School  of  Mines,  from  Prof.  Frederick 
Wohler,  of  Gottingen.  He  mentions  having  observed  in  the  grains  of 
native  platinum  from  the  sands  of  the  Trinity  River,  Oregon,  minute 
transparent  zircons  associated  with  laurite  (sulphide  of  ruthenium  and 
osmium)^  iridosmine,  chromic  iron,  etc.,  and  microscopic  rounded  crys- 
tals which  he  supposed  were  diamonds.  In  a  subsequent  communica- 
tion, dated  Gottingen,  August,  8,  1869,  Professor  Wohler  continues : 
^'On  examination  under  the  microscope,  the  mineral  powder  which  had 
been  freed  from  platinum,  gold,  chromic  iron  (in  part),  silica,  iron  and 
tin,  and  from  which  the  ruthenium,  etc.,  had  been  removed  by  aqua 
regia,  besides  many  grains  of  chromic  iron  and  beautiful  hyacinth  crys- 
tals, colorless  and  transparent  grains  resembling  quartz  were  observed, 
but  besides  these,  grains  resembling  rounded  diamond  crystals  were 
detected."  He  then  describes  in  full  his  methods  of  testing  these  grains, 
and  expresses  his  conviction  that  they  were  true  diamonds. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  45 

CORUNDUM* 

Ruby.         Sapphire* 

H.  ^  9.  G.  =  3.9-4.1.  Luster,  adamantine  to  vitreous.  Colors 
include  nearly  all  of  the  prismatic  hues  to  colorless.  Dichroic.  Occa- 
sionally phosphorescent. 

Oxide  of  aluminum  =  A  LO3. 

The  transparent  corundums  rank  among  the  most  valuable  of  gem 
stones,  and  include  two  standard  varieties,  the  ruby  and  the  sapphire. 

Rubies  are  the  red-colored  corundums;  also  called  Oriental  Ruby. 
They  vary  in  hue  from  a  rose  to  a  deep  carmine,  the  choicest  shade 
being  called  "pigeon's  blood"  red. 

Sapphire  in  general  includes  all  colors  except  red.  Accurately  speak- 
ing, the  name  is  limited  to  the  blue  colors,  the  choicest  shades  being- 
known  as  royal  blue,  velvet  blue,  and  cornflower  blue.  Oriental 
Emerald  is  the  green  variety,  ranging  from  a  lively  green  to  a  bluish 
green.  Oriental  Amethyst  is  the  purpl-e  or  amethystine.  These  two  are 
rare.  Oriental  Topaz  is  yellow  sapphire,  rivaling  the  yellow  diamond 
in  brilliancy.  Oriental  Hyacinth  is  honey  red  in  tint.  Adamantine 
Spar  includes  the  hair-brown  varieties.  Star  Sapphire  has  a  stellated 
opalescence,  as  has  the  Staf  Ruby,  which  is  also  known  as  the  Asteria 
or  Star-stone. 

The  true  ruby  and  sapphire  are  easily  recognized  by  their  hardness, 
as  they  can  be  scratched  only  by  the  diamond,  but  scratch  all  other 
stones.     They  are  also  electrified  by  friction. 

Corundum  is  associated  with  dolomite,  gneiss,  granite,  mica,  and 
chlorite  slate.     The  gems  are  usually  obtained  from  placer  workings. 

Los  Angeles  County. — True  sapphires  have  been  found  in  the  drift  in 
San  Francisquito  Pass. 

Plumas  County  is  traversed  at  many  points  by  large  dikes  of  felsite 
ai;^l  »felsite  porphyry.  This  rock  was  first  found  by  J.  A.  Edman  and 
named  plumasite  by  Lawson.  At  a  point  near  the  western  base  of  the 
serpentines,  a  large  "pipe"  of  felsite  outcrops,  and  in  the  soil  near  it 
are  found  fragments  of  feldspar  containing  corundum  crystals,  while 
between  the  serpentine  and  the  felsite  dike  is  a  four-foot  layer  of  the 
feldspar  containing  a  few  corundum  crystals,  small  veins  or  strings  of 
corundum  ramifying  into  the  feldspathic  mass.  The  largest  crystal  was 
two  inches  long  by  one  inch  wide,  and  of  a  bluish-gray  color.  (S.  M.  B. 
15357.)     No  gem  material  has  yet  been  found. 

San  Bernardino  County. — At  the  east  end  of  tlie  Kingston  range. 

San  Diego  County. — Mr.  W.  H.  Trenchard  reports  corundum,  in 
opaque  gray  crystals,  at  a  point  some  26  miles  east  of  San  Diego,  but 
in  small  amount  and  undeveloped. 


46 


GEMS,    JEWEIiERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


TOPAZ. 


II. =  8.  G.=  3.4-3.6.  Brittle.  Has  very  perfect  cleavage  (basal) 
transverse  to  the  elongation  of  the  crystals.  Luster  vitreous.  Color 
various  shades,  yellow  to  brown,  and  pale  green  or  blue,  l)ut  often 
colorless  or  with  a  faint  tinge  of  bluish  green.  Silica,  33.3;  alumina, 
56.5;  fluorine,  17.6. 

Usually  occurs  in  rhombic  prisms,  the  crystals  more  or  less  pointed. 
The  color  of  some  yellow  topazes  fades  on  exposure  to  sunlight,  while 
others  —especially  those  from  Brazil — change  their  yellow  color  to  pink 
on  heating. 

San  Diego  County. — Beautiful  topazes  have  lately  been  found  near 

Ramona.  Some  of  the 
crystals  are  colorless, 
others  are  bluish  or 
greenish.  Many  are  quite 
large  and  are  covered 
with  numerous  small 
etch -figures.  Some  crys- 
tals found  were  over  two 
inches  long  and  one  inch 
wide. 

The  mines  that  have 
yielded  this  very  inter- 
esting addition  to  the 
gem-minerals  of  Califor- 
nia are  chiefly  those 
known  as  the  Surprise 
and  the  Little  Three, 
adjacent  to  each  other, 
about  4^  miles  northeast 
of  Ramona.  The  topaz 
occurs  in  a  pegmatite 
ledge,  of  the  kind  else- 
where described  as  characteristic  of  this  region,  but  not  in  all  parts  of 
it,  being  met  with  only  in  certain  portions  of  the  vein  or  dike.  At  the 
Little  Three  mine  they  occur  in  pockets  in  albite  and  orthoclase  with 
quartz  crystals;  they  are  attached  to  the  feldspar,  and  surrounded  with 
a  red  soil  that  fills  the  pockets.  Associated  with  them  are  dark- 
green  tourmaline  crystals,  sometimes  very  large.  The  topazes  are 
Avhite,  light  yellow,  sea-green,  and  sky-blue,  and  some  crystals  are  over  a 
pound  in  weight. 

At  the  Surprise  mine,  in  the  same  way,  topaz  is  found  only  in  one 
part  of  the  workings,  and  its  occurrence  is  described  as  quite  similar. 


ILL    No.  9.     TOPAZ    CRYSTAL  (NATURAL  SIZE), 
■   RAMONA,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY. 


GEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OP    C^yi^IFORNIA. 


47 


In  the  central  part  of  the  pegmatite  vein,  ])et\veen  the  crystallized 
upper  portion  and  the  more  compact  portion  below,  lies  a  zone  of  small 
pockets  in  feldspar  (in  this  case  orthoclase),  somewhat  decomposed. 
In  these  are  found  the  topaz  crystals,  in  a  sandy  filling  of  granular 
ferruginous  quartz.  Those  near  the  surface  were  colorless  or  white,  but 
at  a  depth  of  6  feet  they  were  sky-blue  and  aquamarine-blue.  Some 
•50  pounds  of  them  have  been  taken  from  a  cut  20  feet  long  and  8  feet 
deej). 

Illustrations  Nos.  9  and  10  show  crystals  of  natural  size,  some  of 
them  surrounded  with  the  finely  crystallized  albite,  from  Ramona. 


ILL.  No.  10.     TOPAZ  CRYSTALS  (NATURAL  SIZE)   ON   CRYSTALLIZED   ALBITE,  RAMONA, 
SAN    DIEGO  COUNTY. 


SPINEL, 

Spinel  is  a  compound  of  alumina  and  magnesia,  often  with  some 
iron,  or  other  metallic  oxides  in  small  quantities.  It  has  a  hardness  of 
8,  and  when  transparent  makes  a  valuable  gem-stone,  usually  of  rich 
shades  of  red,  and  is  then  called  spinel  ruby,  or  ruby  spinel.  It  has 
not  been  found  much  in  California,  but  some  crystals  of  good  quality, 
yielding  gems  weighing  up  to  two  carats  each,  were  obtained  near  San 
Luis  Obispo,  by  Mr.  James  W.  Beath,  of  Philadelphia,  Pa.  In  the 
collection  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau  there  are  also  crystals  of  wine- 
colored  ruby  spinel  up  to  3  millimeters  in  diameter,  from  Humboldt 


48  GEMS,  jewelers'  materials,  etc.,  op  californl\. 

County.  Crystals  of  blue  spinel,  of  about  the  same  size,  clear  and  of 
good  color,  have  lately  been  obtained  sparingly  from  the  Mack  mine 
near  Rincon,  San  Diego  County. 


BERYL, 

Emerald,  Aquamarine,  Goshenite,  etc. 

H.  =  7.5-8,  scratching  quartz,  but  scratched  by  spinel  or  topaz. 
G.  =  2.7.  Brittle.  Luster  vitreous.  Colors,  emerald  green  to  pale 
green,  pale  blue,  pale  yellow,  honey,  wine,  and  citron  yellow,  white  to 
a  pale  rose-red.  Silica,  67.0;  alumina,  19.0;  glucina,  14.0.  The  crystals 
are  usually  hexagonal  prisms,  occasionally  very  large,  but  those  of  fine 
quality  or  transparency  are  apt  to  be  small.  They  are  electrified  by 
friction. 

The  emerald  and  aquamarine  are  mineralogically  included  in  the 
species  beryl;  the  differences  being  mainly  in  color,  as  follows:  Emerald 
includes  the  rich  green  kinds  only,  and  is  a  highly  prized  gem  when 
free  from  flaws;  Aquamarine  includes  the  beryls  showing  clear  shades 
of  sky-blue  and  sea-green;  Goshenite,  white  or  colorless;  Davidsonite, 
greenish  yellow,  Aeroides,  pale  sky-blue;  Hyacinthozontes,  clear  sapphire 
blue;  Am.ethiste  Basaltine,  pale  violet  or  reddish;  Chrysolithus,  pale 
yellowish  green;  Golden  Beryl,  clear  bright  yellow;  Chrysoberyllus, 
greenish  yellow  to  wine-yelloAV.  Occasionally,  beryl  occurs  of  a  delicate 
pink  color. 

A  number  of  localities  for  beryl  are  known  in  California,  some  yield- 
ing gem  material.  The  pink  or  rose  beryl,  hitherto  one  of  the  rarest 
varieties  of  this  species,  has  within  a  year  or  two  past  been  found  at 
several  points  in  the  remarkable  mineral  region  of  San  Diego  and  River- 
side counties,  sometimes  of  transparent  gem  quality,  and  in  a  few  cases 
of  large  size,  as  noted  further  on.  With  it,  and  also  separately,  are 
found  beryls  of  other  kinds— green,  yellow,  and  colorless.  At  the  Mack 
mine  at  Rincon,  San  Diego  County,  near  Oak  Grove,  are  also  reported 
peculiar  beryls  of  a  deep  opaque  blue. 

It  is  interesting  to  note  that  this  pink  or  rose  beryl  occurs  with  the 
pink  and  lilac  spodumene  at  several  California  mines,  while  the  beryls 
are  rich  green  when  associated  with  emerald-green  spodumene  (hid- 
denite)  at  the  remarkable  locality  at  Stony  Point,  Alexander  County, 
North  Carolina,  and  even  the  muscovite  associated  with  them  has  some- 
times a  green  color.  That  is,  the  beryls  occur  there  in  the  form  of 
emeralds,  the  spodumene  in  the  form  of  hiddenite,  and  the  muscovite 
mica  in  a  beautiful  green  tint,  evidently  all  due  to  some  chromium  col- 
oring. This  latter  (muscovite)  is  unusually  interesting  when  embedded 
in  transparent  quartz,  and  one  can  see  through  the  sides  of  the  prisms. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIF0RNL4.  49 

In  contrast  to  this,  at  several  localities  in  southern  California  the  beryls 
are  pink  in  color,  the  rubellites  deep  pink,  the  spodumene  (variety 
kunzite)  lilac,  and  the  lepidolite  also  of  pink  and  lilac  tints. 

The  most  important  beryl  occurrences  in  California  are  the  fol- 
lowing: 

Riverside  County. — Associated  with  the  tourmalines  from  Coahuila 
have  recently  been  found  yellow  beryls,  closely  resembling  those  from 
Sarapulka  in  the  Ural  Mountains,  also  pale  green,  pink,  and  colorless. 
Some  of  the  yellow  crystals  are  finely  formed  and  others  show  remark- 
able instances  of  etched  faces,  while  others  are  almost  as  delicate  as  a 
darning-needle. 

San  Diego  County. — The  notable  locality  of  colored  tourmalines  and 
other  lithia  minerals,  the  Himalaya  mine,  at  Mesa  Grande,  has  yielded  a 
most  unusual  specimen  of  pink  beryl — a  transparent  rose-colored  mass, 
measuring  65  by  50  millimeters.  It  is  evidently  an  etched  fragment  of 
a  very  large  crystal,  showing  planes  with  markings  and  erosions  all 
over  its  surface.  Its  color  varies  by  transmitted  light  from  a  delicate 
rose  to  a  deep  rich  pink.  This  beautiful  specimen  is  now  in  the  Tiffany- 
Morgan  collection  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History  in 
New  York  City.  Another  somewhat  similar  rose  beryl  has  lately  been 
obtained  from  Mount  Palomar  near  Oak  Grove.  This  crystal  measures 
11  cm.  by  7i  cm.  by  6^  cm.,  and  weighs  almost  2  pounds.  It  is 
perfectly  transparent  and  of  a  beautiful  pale-rose  color.  It  is  now  in 
the  United  States  National  Museum. 

From  Pala,  in  the  same  county,  occurring  with  tourmalines  and 
kunzites,  was  obtained  a  large  detached  rose  beryl  measuring  10  cm. 
by  5  cm.     This  crystal  was  of  a  pale  pink  color,  and  transparent. 

Other  localities  of  pink  beryl,  lately  reported,  are  as  follows: — 

The  Esmeralda  mine,  at  Mesa  Grande,  together  with  golden  beryl 
and  aquamarine;  both  pink  and  green  at  the  Crystal  gem  mine,  near 
Jacumba;  and  particularly  in  some  of  the  mines  near  Ramona.  Here, 
the  Surprise  mine  reports  two  pounds  of  large  and  fine  crystals;  and 
the  ABC  mine  several  pounds,  from  which  many  choice  gems  have 
been  cut  in  San  Diego,  one  of  them  a  flawless  stone  of  30  carats,  rose- 
leaf  pink  in  color.  Beryls  of  more  ordinary  tints,  of  various  shades 
of  green,  are  reported  from  a  number  of  the  mines  of  San  Diego  and 
Riverside  counties,  sometimes  of  choice  quality,  especially  the  Fano 
mine  in  the  latter  county,  the  Hercules  and  Lookout  mines  at  Ramona, 
and  tlie  Mack  mine  at  Mount  Palomar,  in  the  former. 

From  near  Ramona  have  also  come  some  very  curiously  etched 
crystals;  some  of  three  inches  long  and  an  inch  across,  colorless  and 
transparent  as  the  finest  rock-crystal,  and  covered  all  over  the  pris- 
matic and  basal  planes  with  the  most  complicated  etching;  these  are 
4 — MB 


50  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNLV. 

hollow  within,  and  made  up  of  interlocking  plates,  as  it  were,  exceed- 
ingly clear  and  brilliant.     Pink  beryls  have  also  been  found  here. 

The  mine  owned  by  J.  M.  Mack,  of  San  Diego,  is  situated  in  Sec.  25, 
T.  10  S.,  R.  1  W.,  S.  B.  M.,  on  the  foothills  of  Palomar  Mountain,  9 
miles  southeast  of  Pala,  on  a  direct  line  between  that  place  and  Mesa 
Grande,  Beryls  are  found  here  of  various  colors — yellow,  green,  etc., 
to  deep  blue — with  columbite,  and  much  crystallized  quartz  and  feld- 
spar, also  black  tourmalines,  but  none  of  the  colored  varieties  so 
marked  at  Mesa  Grande  and  Pala.  Some  of  the  beryl  crystals  are 
very  small  and  slender,  but  extremely  perfect  and  brilliant;  others 
were  singularly  eroded,  as  though  acted  upon  by  some  solvent;  others 
were  like  certain  beryls  from  Haddam  Neck,  Conn.,  with  part  of  the 
crystal  transparent  and  the  rest  cloudy  or  milky,  curiously  resembling 
a  test-tube  in  which  a  w^hite  precipitate  is  subsiding  from  a  clear  green 
liquid,  the  line  of  demarcation  being  quite  sharp.  The  beryls  here 
are  found  in  pockets  in  a  pegmatite  rock,  like  all  the  gem-minerals  of 
this  region,  usually  embedded  in  a  red  clay.  Many  fine  gems  have 
been  cut  from  the  clear  crystals,  and  the  clouded  ones  have  been  cut 
en  cahochnn,  and  have  a  pleasing  cat's-eye  effect. 

GARNET, 

Grossukfite,  Pyrope,  Almandite,  Spessartite,  Andradite,  Ouvarovite,  etc. 

The  species  garnet  includes  several  varieties  which,  are  distinguished 
by  differences  in  composition.     The  group  in  general  has  :  — 

H.=  6.5.  G.=  3.15-4.3.  The  majority  of  specimens  will  scratch 
quartz  slightly.  They  are  complex  silicates  of  alumina,  lime,  magnesia, 
chrome,  iron,  manganese,  or  titanium,  grouped  as  follows  : 

1.  Aluminum  garnets:  Grossularite  =^  Lime- Aluminum  garnet; 
Pyrope  =  Magnesium-Aluminum  garnet;  Almandite  =  Iron-Aluminum 
garnet;  Spessartite  =  Manganese- Aluminum  garnet. 

2.  Iron  garnet :  Andradite  =  Lime-Iron  garnet. 

3.  Chromium  garnet  =  Lime-Chrome  garnet. 

1.  Grossidarite  has  a  hardness  of  7,  and  G.=  3.55-3.66.  Color  white, 
pale  green,  amber,  honey,  wine  and  brownish  yellow,  cinnamon-brown, 
and  pale  rose-red.  The  varieties  of  grossularite  are  essonite,  or  hyacinth, 
and  cinnamon  stone.  The  essonite  is  the  only  true  hyacinth  of  the 
jeweler,  and  has  been  confused  by  sonie  with  zircon.  In  the  trade  the 
name  grossularite  is  confined  to  the  pale-green  or  yellow  stones;  and 
cinnamon  stone  to  the  cinnamon-brown  color.  Romanzovite  is  brown; 
Wiluite  is  yellowish  green  to  greenish  white;  Tojmzolite  is  topaz  to  citron 
yellow;  and  Succinite  is  an  amber-colored  kind  of  grossularite.  A  pink 
variety  called  Rosolite  occurs  in  Mexico. 


GEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,  \E£M4f;0BXL\, ''  ol 

Pyrope  (meaning  "fire-like")  is  the  principal  magnesian  garnet,  a 
deep  blood-red  to  nearly  black  stone,  prized  as  a  gem.  H.=  7.5. 
G.:^  3.7-3.8.     It  is  known  as  the  precious  garnet. 

Almandite.  H.=  7.5.  G.=  3.9-4.2.  Iron-aluminmn  garnets  prized  as 
gems  are  also  called  precious  garnet,  like  pyrope.  Color  cherry- 
red,  blood-red  to  deep  reds.  Almandite  is  often  called  Carbuncle  when 
of  a  deep  clear  red,  scarlet  or  crimson.  The  true  carbuncle  is  a 
variety  of  sapphire. 

The  variety  Rhodolite  has  a  color  between  violet  purple  and  brownish 
red,  and  belongs  between  almandite  and  pyrope. 

.Spe-s-sa rf if ^  is  a  manganese-aluminum  garnet.  H.=  7.  G.=  4.0.  The 
color  varies  from  a  reddish  brown,  or  dark  hyacinth  red,  and  even 
violet,  to  orange  red.     It  often  affords  fine  gems. 

2.  .-l/K/rafZiff,  or  lime-iron  garnet.  H.^  7.5.  G.=  3.8-3.9.  The  group 
includes  varieties  that  differ  widely  in  composition  and  color.  The 
trade  name  Andradite  is  limited  to  the  yellow  or  orange-brown  variety. 
Demantoid  or  Uralian  Emerald  is  a  grass-green,  emerald-green,  or 
brownish-green  stone  having  a  brilliant  luster,  and  showing  good  fire 
when  cut.  Colophonite  is  a  brownish-black  variety,  characterized  by  a 
resinous  luster.     Melanite  is  black  to  yellow-brown. 

3.  Ourarorite,  ov  Urarovite,  lin\e-chYon\e  garnet.  H.=  7.5.  G.  =  3.41- 
3.52.     The  color  is  a  fine  emerald  green. 

Trail ticinite  is  an  impure  uvarovite  from  Monterey  County,  described 
by  E.  Goldsmith  in  Proc.  Acad.  Nat.  Sci.  Phila.,  1865,  pp.  9,  348,  365. 

Schorlomite  has  a  composition  analogous  to  garnet.  H.=  7-7.5. 
G.=  3.81-3.88.     Color  black,  sometimes  mixed  with  blue. 

In  the  trade  but  little  attention  is  paid  to  mineral  differences,  but  the 
garnets  are  often  classified  by  color,  the  light-colored  clear  ones  being 
called  hyacinth;  the  yellowish,  jacinta;  a  yellowish-red,  guarnaccine  or 
vermeille;  the  red  with  a  tinge  of  violet,  ruhino  de  rocca  or  grenat  siriam; 
and  the  deep  clear  red,  carbuncle,  especially  when  cut  en  cabochon. 

The  almandite  is  common  in  granite,  gneiss,  and  mica  schist;  gros- 
sularite  is  frequent  in  limestones  and  crystalline  schists;  pyrope  in 
peridotites,  serpentines,  and  basalts;  spessartite  in  granite  rocks,  quartzite, 
schists,  and  rhj'olites;  iron  garnets  in  eruptive  rocks;  demantoid  in 
serpentine;  chrome  garnets  with  chromite  in  serpentines  and  in 
granular  limestones. 

Calaveras  County. — Almandite,  from  Bald  Point.  Mokelumne  River. 
S.  M.  B.  11857. 

El  Dorado  County. — Grossularite  in  copper  ore,  Rodgers  mine,  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  county;  associated  with  specular  iron,  calcite,  and 


52  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,   of    CALIFORNIA. 

iron  and  copper  i)yrites.     Garnet  rock  is  found  in  blocks  several  feet 
thick  near  Pilot  liill.     8.  M.  B.  13937. 

Fresno  County. — In  calcite  at  San  Ramon,  S.  M.  B.  9336;  in  feld- 
spathic  rock  at  Grub  Gulch,  S.  M.  B.  7037;  with  epidote  on  quartz, 
at  Fresno  Flats,  S.  M.  B.  7317. 

Inyo  County. — Garnets  are  found  in  the  Coosa  district  in  large,  semi- 
crystalline  masses,  of  a  light  yellow  color.  Grossularite  with  datolite 
occurs  at  San  Carlos,  S.  M.  B.  2190.  Cinnamon-stone  is  also  found  at 
San  Carlos. 

Kern  County. — Garnet  sands  are  abundant  at  the  Soapstone  Moun- 
tain and  in  the  Mojave  Desert.     S.  M.  B.  2882. 

Marin  County. — Garnets  in  mica  schists.  Reed's  ranch.  S.  M.  B. 
6562  and  12833. 

Mariposa  County. — Almandite  at  Mount  Hoffman.     S.  M.  B.  12007. 

Monterey  County'. — Trautwinite,  locality  not  given.  Pyrope  in 
granite,  from  Nacimiento  River.     S.  M.  B.  13726. 

Plumas  County. — The  late  Dr.  Isaac  Lea,  of  Philadelphia,  whose 
great  collection  of  precious  stones  is  now  in  the  U.  S.  National  Museum 
at  Washington,  had  some  transparent  crystals  of  a  dark  oily  green 
grossularite  from  1  to  5  millimeters  long,  that  were  found  at  the  Good 
Hope  mine. 

Riverside  County. — Essonite  garnet  in  handsome  crystals  has  been 
found  at  some  of  the  tourmaline  localities  near  Coahuila,  as  noted  below. 

Shasta  County. — Ouvarovite,  from  Shotgun  Creek.     S.  M.  B.  11729. 

Sonoma  County. — Grossularite  in  copper  ore  near  Petaluma. 

San  Bernardino  County'. — Garnets  are  common  in  the  placer  sands 
of  the  desert.     Grossularite,  S.  M.  B.  6614. 

San  Diego  County. — Almandite  occurs  in  mica  schist,  at  San  Mar- 
garita ranch.     S.  M.  B.  12233. 

Essonite  and  succinite  appear  at  a  number  of  localities  in  deposits 
spread  over  a  considerable  territory  from  9  to  10  miles  northeast  of 
Jacumba  Hot  Springs,  usuall}'-  associated  with  granite  and  granular 
limestone.  At  three  of  the  places  some  gem  material  has  been  found. 
Associated  with  it  is  a  little  vesuvianite  and  crystallized  quartz.  Eleven 
localities  in  this  region  are  noted  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Trenchard,  of  San  Diego. 
Essonite  has  also  been  found  near  San  Vicente,  El  Cajon  Mountains,  but 
the  crystals  were  full  of  imperfections.  The  finest  essonite  crystals  are 
obtained  at  Ramona,  implanted  on  feldspar,  and  associated  with  green 
tourmaline,  white  topaz,  and  beryl,  occasionally  in  perfect  dodeca- 
hedrons and  trapezohedrons,  of  rich  honey-yello^v  to  orange-red  color, 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OP    CALIFORNIA.  53 

and  very  brilliant.  They  have  also  been  discovered  at  Warner's  Ranch, 
Mesa  Grande,  Santa  Ysabel,  Gravilla,  and  Julian,  San  Diego  County; 
Deer  Park,  Placer  County;  Laguna  Mountains  and  Jacumba,  and  also 
at  several  places  below  the  Mexican  line.  As  some  of  the  crystals  were 
of  exceptional  brilliancy,  it  is  possible  that  on  further  development 
many  fine  gems  will  be  obtained.  This  essonite  garnet  has  been  con- 
founded with  spessartite,  and  frequently  reported  as  such,  but  it  is  really 
the  former  species  in  most,  if  not  all,  cases  in  this  region.  Among 
the  mines  in  the  Ramona  district  yielding  specimens  of  very  fine 
quality  are  the  Hercules,  Lookout,  Surprise,  and  Prospect,  from  some  of 
which  beautiful  gems  have  been  cut,  ranging  up  to  6  or  8  carats;  also 
excellent  quality  near  Jacumba,  and  of  less  size  and  beauty  at  many 
places.  Deep  red  garnets,  6  to  10  millimeters  in  diameter,  also  occur  in 
this  region.  Larger  ones,  up  to  as  much  as  30  millimeters,  occur  near 
Coahuila,  Riverside  County,  in  trapezohedral  crystals  of  remarkable 
beauty. 

Santa  Clara  County. — A  cinnamon-stone  from  this  county,  analyzed 
by  J.  L.  Smith,  gave  silica,  42.01;  alumina,  17.76;  ferric  oxide,  5.06; 
manganous  oxide,  0.20;  lime,  35.01;  magnesia,  0.13.     G.=  3.59. 

Trinity  County. — Richly  colored  ouvarovite  was  discovered  in  1899 
by  Mr.  George  L.  Carr  and  others,  at  Carrville.  It  occurs  in  small 
dodecahedral  crystals  from  1  to  3  millimeters  in  diameter,  of  the  richest 
deep  green,  coating  seams  or  cavities  in  chromic  iron.  These  were  at 
first  thought  to  be  emeralds,  until  analysis  proved  their  real  character. 

Tulare  County. — Several  varieties  of  garnets  occur  in  this  county,  at 
various  points.  These  have  been  principally  reported  by  Mr.  Max 
Braverman,  who  searched  and  explored  for  minerals  in  this  region  with 
indefatigable  activity,  and  whose  collection,  generously  presented  by 
him  in  1901  to  the  Golden  Gate  Museum,  remains  as  a  worthy  record 
of  his  many  years  of  labor  and  enthusiasm.  He  has  reported  essonite 
at  Three  Rivers,  pyrope  on  Rattlesnake  Creek,  and  topazolite  from  near 
the  chrysoprase  locality,  12  miles  northeast  of  Visalia.  In  1900  many 
fine  groups  of  crystals  were  taken  out  at  this  locality.  Almandite 
■was  reported  as  abundant  between  North  and  Middle  Tule  rivers,  by 
Mr.  L.  B.  Hawkins.  Two  specimens  of  topazolite,  with  malachite  and 
azurite,  were  exhibited  by  Tiffany  &  Co.  at  the  Paris  Exposition  of 
1889,  that  came  from  this  county.  A  curious  white  mineral,  associated 
with  the  massive  green  vesuvianite  (calif or nite),  was  obtained  by  Mr. 
Braverman  in  1902,  from  a  point  in  this  county  near  the  Fresno  county 
line,  not  far  from  Selma,  a  mile  and  a  half  from  HaAvkins  schoolhouse. 
This  proved,  on  analysis  by  Mr.  George  Steiger,  of  the  U.  S.  Geological 


54  GEMS,  jewelers'  materials,  etc.,  of  californlv. 

Survey,  to  be  a  massive  variety  of  grossularite  garnet — a  peculiar  and 

unusual  form.     The  analysis  is  as  follows:* 

SiOo 38.59 

Al^Oj - 22.24 

Fe^Os - 0.45 

FeO - 0.36 

MgO-.- 0.64 

CiiO 35.97 

MnO : 0.10 

H2O  (below  100°  C.) 0.31 

H2O  (above  100°  C.) ,- 0.80 

CO2 0.39 

F 0.17 

100.02 

Ventura  County. — Garnet  sands  are  abundant  in  the  Piru  district. 
S.  M.  B.  2365. 

Garnets  are  abundant  in  all  the  counties  where  the  gravels  are  worked 
for  gold,  and  are  generally  called  "rubies"  by  the  miners. 

TOURMALINE. 

Rubellite.    Indicolite*    Achfoite.    Aphrizite. 

H.^  7-7.5.  G.=  3.0-3.2.  Brittle.  Luster  vitreous.  Color  black, 
brown,  blue,  green,  red,  colorless.  Some  specimens  are  red  internally 
and  green  externally;  others  red  at  one  end  and  green,  blue,  or  black  at 
the  other. 

The  red  or  pink  transparent  varieties  are  called  RuhcUite;  if  violet- 
red,  Siberite;  Indicolite  is  blue  or  bluish  black;  Brazilian  Sapphire  is 
Berlin  blue;  Brazilian  Emerald,  Chrysolite  of  Brazil,  green  and  trans- 
parent; Peridot  of  Ceylon  is  honey-yellow.  Achroite  is  the  name  given 
to  colorless  tourmalines.  Aphrizite  is  black,  with  a  resinous  fracture. 
Dravite  is  brown,  greenish  black. 

A  complex  silicate  of  alumina,  boron,  magnesia,  iron,  and  alkalies 
(soda,  potash,  lithia),  with  small  amounts  of  water  and  fluorine. 

Among,  the  most  interesting  and  beautiful  of  gem-minerals  are  the 
highly  colored  varieties  of  tourmaline.  It  is  only  recently  that  they 
have  come  to  be  much  known  or  used  in  jewelry,  though  pink  (shan) 
tourmaline  has  long  been  greatly  and  almost  superstitiously  prized  in 
China.  The  ordinary  tourmalines  are  black  or  brown,  but  some  varie- 
ties are  pink,  red,  green,  and  dark  blue,  and  these  when  transparent 
make  elegant  gems.  Rarely,  they  are  quite  colorless  (achroite).  Tour- 
malines are  remarkable  also  for  certain  optical  properties  which  render 
them  incapable  of  being  successfully  imitated,  and  for  the  fact  that  the 
same  crystal  will  often  show  two  or  more  richly  contrasting  colors  in 
different  parts. 

*  U.  S.  Census  Kept.  1900,  Precious  Stones,  by  G.  F.  Kunz,  p.  1050. 


GEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORXL\.  00 

California  has  lately  been  found  to  possess  the  most  remarkable  mines 
of  these  gem-tourmalines  in  the  world.  Heretofore  they  have  come 
chiefly  from  Brazil,  and  also  from  Oxford  County,  Maine,  and  Haddam 
Xeck,  Conn.  Now,  however,  there  are  several  points  in  San  Diego  and 
Riverside  counties  that  are  yielding  splendid  material. 

The  first  recognition  of  these  minerals  in  the  State  apparently  goes 
back  as  far  as  1872,  when  Mr.  Henry  Hamilton,  in  June  of  that  year, 
obtained  some  very  fine  and  handsome  colored  tourmalines  on  the  south- 
east slope  of  Thomas  Mountain,  in  Riverside  County. 

The  first  discovery  in  San  Diego  County  is  thought  to  have  been  made 
about  twenty-five  years  ago,  when  some  Indian  children,  at  play  in  a 
camp  neai;  what  is  now  Mesa  Grande  postoffice,  picked  up  an  oddly 
shaped  stone,  six-sided  like  a  quartz  crystal,  about  three  inches  long 
and  a  little  thicker  than  a  common  lead-pencil.  On  cleaning  it  off  and 
rubbing  it  with  a  bit  of  hide,  it  was  seen  to  be  of  a  beautiful  blue  color, 
bright  and  partially  clear,  almost  like  a  sapphire.  The  natives  had  no 
idea  of  its  nature,  but  were  attracted  by  its  beauty  and  singularit3^ 
Subsequently,  other  highly  colored  stones  of  like  character — some  blue, 
others  green,  others  red — were  picked  up  in  the  same  vicinity  by  Indians 
and  cowboys,  but  no  one  realized  that  they  had  any  actual  value. 

In  Pala,  San  Diego  County,  Mr.  William  Irelan,  Jr.,  State  Mineralogist? 
reported  that  fine  transparent  crystals  of  rubellite  (red  tourmaline)' 
though  not  of  gem  quality,  had  been  found. 

The  first  important  development  at  Pala  was  announced  by  Mr.  C.  R. 
Orcutt,  in  1890.*  Here  a  ledge  of  lepidolite  (lithia  mica)  containing 
rubellite  was  traced  for  quite  a  distance.  The  rubellite  crystals  are 
clustered  in  radiating  groups  in  the  fine  compact  mica;  they  are  not  large 
and  not  clear,  and  hence  are  not  suitable  for  cutting;  but  their  color  is  a 
rich  rose-red,  and  they  make  elegant  specimens,  on  the  background  of  lilac 
lepidolite.  These  have  gone  into  collections  and  museums  all  over  the 
world,  and  the  material  has  been  mined  by  tons,  partly  for  specimens 
and  partly  for  extracting  lithia  compounds  from  the  lepidolite.  More 
recently,  amblygonite  (alumina-lithia  phosphate)  has  been  found  at 
this  mine  in  large  quantities,  and  this  is  now  the  greatest  lithia  mine 
in  the  world. 

The  rubellite  crystals  found  here  are  entirely  embedded  in  lepidolite, 
and  until  recently  it  was  found  impossible  to  remove  them  to  show  their 
complete  form.  They  were,  however,  often  polished  with  the  lepidolite — 
the  rubellite  appearing  as  pink  radiations  in  a  darker  gangue  of  lilac- 
colored  lepidolite.  Recently,  however,  the  crystals  of  rubellite  have 
been  worked  out,  as  it  were — made  to  stand  out  by  removing  the 
lepidolite  matrix  by  means  of  brushes  and  cleaning-tools — forming  most 
beautiful  groups  of  crystals. 

*  Report  on  the  minerals  of  the  Colorado  Desert ;  10th  Ann.  Rept.  State  Mineralogist 
of  California,  1890.     Min.  Res.  U.  S.  (Rept.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey),  1893,  pp.  17,  18  (reprint). 


56  GEMS,  jewelers'  materials,  etc.,  of  californl\. 

Ill  regard  to  the  early  history  of  this  loeahty,  Mr.  F.  M.  Siekler,  who 
grew  up  in  the  vicinity  and  has  explored  for  mines  and  minerals  there- 
about a  great  deal,  relates  the  following  curious  and  somewhat  romantic 
circumstances,  in  an  article  in  the  Kansas  City  "  Jeweler  and  Optician," 
of  May,  1904.  He  states  that  the  Pala  lepidolite  deposit  had  very  long 
been  known  to  the  Indians,  but  that  it  was  first  brought  to  the  notice 
of  the  whites  by  an  Indian  deer-hunter  named  Vensuelada.  He  found 
the  spot  while  hunting,  and  broke  off  pieces  showing  the  beautiful  pink 
rubellite  in  its  matrix  of  pearl-colored  lepidolite,  and  brought  them  to 
Pala.     Henry  Magee,  an  old  miner   and  prospector,  took  the  rubellite 


ILL.  No.  11.     TOWN  OF  PALA,  SAN  DIKGO  COUNT V  —  VILW  LOOKING  LAST,  SHOWING 
INDIAN   HOUSES. 

crystals  for  cinnabar,  and  located  the  property  as  a  quicksilver  mine. 
Failing  to  get  any  mercury  from  it,  he  nevertheless  believed  that  the 
peculiar  mineral  must  have  some  value,  and  sent  samples  to  various 
chemists,  but  no  one  recognized  it  as  a  lithia  compound  of  any  impor- 
tance. Weary  of  his  poor  success,  Magee  gave  it  up  and  failed  to  do  the 
annual  assessment  work  on  the  claim.  Later,  one  Tomas  Alvarado 
relocated  the  property  as  a  marble  quarry  !  Magee  claimed  that  some 
interest  in  the  mine  was  rightfully  due  to  himself,  but  Alvarado  refused 
to  give  him  any.  Upon  this,  Magee  pointed  eastward  to  the  ridge  now 
called  Heriart  Mountain,  and  said,  "  If  this  stuff  is  of  any  value,  I  know 
where  there  are  thousands  of  tons  of  it  over  there."     Magee  died,  how- 


GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


57 


ever,  and  his  secret  died  with  him;  but  certain  it  is  that  several  mines, 
with  lepidolite  and  tourmaline,  have  lately  been  located  on  that  very 
ridge. 

In  1893,  near  the  crest  of  the  San  Jacinto  range,  in  Riverside  County, 
loose  or  "float"  crystals  of  tourmaline  were  observed,  chiefly  black, but 
some  finely  colored — -red,  rose,  green,  blue,  etc.*  In  some  cases,  the 
green  crystals  were  found  to  have  red  centers — a  type  long  known  from 
Brazil.  Some  large  crystals  were  obtained  and  a  number  of  gems  were 
cut  from  them.  These  indications  were  promptly  followed  up,  and 
several  mining  claims  were  located  and  worked. 


ILL.  No.  12.     BELFRY    OP    OLD   SPANISH    CHURCH    AT   PALA, 
SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY. 

One  of  these,  opened  near  the  summit  of  the  range  by  three  pros- 
pectors, Messrs.  Dwight  Whiting,  F.  M.  Speer,  and  F.  H.  Jackson,  was 
called  by  them  the  San  Jacinto  gem  mine.  It  was  reported  that  more 
than  a  bushel  of  red  and  green  crystals  was  found  during  the  first  sea- 
son's operation,  one  of  which  measured  eight  inches  in  length  and  sev- 
eral inches  in  diameter.  This  was  purchased  by  Harvard  University, 
with  other  crystals  several  inches  long  and  two  inches  in  diameter. 
One  of  this  size  had  a  dark  green  basal  termination  and  showed  a  red 
center  on  the  fracture  at  the  other  end  of  the  crystal.  Other  very  fine 
ones  are  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History,  at  New  York. 

*G.  F.  Kunz,  U.  S.  GeoL  Survey,  Min.  Res.  U,  S.,  1892,  p.  12  (reprint). 


58 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIPORNLV. 


i: 


Elegant  specimens  were  made 

^.  by  cutting  and  polishing  sec- 

^  tions     across    the    prism,    in 

^  some  of  the  large  crystals  of 

g  this   type,    showing   the   rich 

^  green  exterior,  tlien  a  nai'row 

I  zone    of    white,    and    within 

a  that  the  red  central  portion — 

S  a  beautiful  contrast  of  colors, 

S  recalling  a  slice  from  a  Avater- 

w  melon.     Some    of  these  were 

^  as   much    as  three  inches   in 

g  diameter.     A  few  years  later, 

°  remarkably    tine    crystals    of 

^  colorless  tourmaline    (achro- 

g  ite)   were  reported  from  this 

5  locality,      by     Mr.      Dwight 

I  ^^lnting. 

^  Soon  there  were  several 
z  mines  in  operation  in  the  San 
I  Jacinto  district,  and  these 
S  gave  quite  a  valuable  output 
I  for  many  years.  At  present 
n  the  one  that  is  most  promi- 
^  nent  is  that  known  as  the 
::  Fano  (formerly  the  Simmons) 
^  mine,  discovered  in  1902  by 
^  Mr.  Bert  Simmons,  but  now 
5  owned  by  Mr.  E.  A.  Fano,  of 
i  San  Diego.  This  is  located 
:  on  the  north  side  of  Coahuila 
5  Mountain,  at  an  altitude  of 
^  some  4500  feet,  about  a  mile 
I  south  of  Bautista  Creek,  and 
n  four  miles  west  of  Ramona 
t  Indian  reservation.  About 
the  same  distance  east  of  the 
i  reservation,  and  a  little  south, 
i  on  Thomas  Mountain,  at  5000 
3  feet  elevation,  is  the  site  of 
■  the  original  discovery  of  col- 
ored tourmalines  in  this 
county,  made  by  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton in  1872.  This  has  been  known  as  the  Columbia  gem  mine,  and 
has  yielded  very  fine  material;  but  it  has  not  been  worked  much  of 


GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNL\.  59 

late  years,  owing  to  litigation,  other  parties  claiming  it  under  the  name 
of  the  April  Fool  mine. 

The  Fano  mine,  besides  colored  tourmalines,  especially  rich  shades  of 
blue  and  green,  yields  some  beryl  and  a  little  kunzite,  with  lepidolite 
and  amblygonite.  Its  structure  is  typical  of  the  gem  deposits  of 
southernCalifornia— a  ledge  consisting  of  a  vein  (or  dike)  of  pegmatite, 
about  five  feet  thick,  with  a  northwest  and  southeast  course,  and  a  dip 
of  17*^  to  the  southwest.  The  inclosing  rock  is  called  a  blue  granite, 
but  is  probably  the  diorite  (or  gabbro)  rock. 

In  1895,  a  rubellite  crystal  was  reported  as  found  on  the  Dameron 
place,  in  San  Diego  County,  about  25  miles  southeast  of  Pala,  and  a 
mile  northwest  of  the  Indian  rancheria,  at  Mesa  Grande.  The  pink 
tourmaline  was  noted  as  associated  with  the  black  variety  in  the  rock 
of  certain  coarse  crystalline  granitic  dikes  (pegmatite)  of  that  district. 
As  these  dikes  are  frequent,  search  was  made  among  them;  and  in  1898, 
the  great  tourmaline  locality  of  Mesa  Grande  was  located.*  The 
occurrence  has  many  resemblances  to  that  at  Pala.  and  also  marked 
differences. 

The  tourmalines  are  in  large  and  distinct  crystals,  often  transparent, 
sometimes  in  lepidolite,  sometimes  in  quartz,  and  sometimes  in  feld- 
spar— more  as  in  Maine  and  Connecticut,  and  in  the  Riverside  County 
mines.  As  at  Pala,  the  red  variety  predominates,  but  there  are  many 
crystals  of  other  tints — blue,  green,  etc.,  and  perfectly  colorless — and 
many  that  are  parti-colored;  others  are  red  externally  and  green 
internally,  like  the  Brazilian,  but  reversed. 

The  vein  or  dike  in  which  the  tourmalines  occur  here  is  at  an  alti- 
tude of  5000  feet,  on  the  same  belt  as  that  which  contains  the  similar 
minerals  at  Pala,  on  Smith's  Mountain.  The  spot  seems  to  have  been 
known  to  the  Indians,  probably  from  the  incident  before  noted;  and 
they  have  even  done  a  little  crude  blasting  to  break  up  the  rock  and 
procure  the  colored  crystals  from  the  cavities  in  which  they  chiefly 
occur. 

The  Mesa  Grande  locality  is  remarkable  for  the  great  size  and  perfec- 
tion of  the  crystals,  many  of  them  being  almost  faultless,  and  the 
doubly-terminated  ones  being  the  rule  rather  than  the  exception.  The 
Ernest  Schernikow  collection  from  this  mine  is  the  finest  known,  and 
ranks  with  those  from  any  locality  in  the  world.  It  has  recently 
(1904-05)  been  on  exhibition  at  the  rooms  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau 
in  San  Francisco.  A  very  fine  set  of  specimens  was  shown,  at  the 
Pan-American  Exposition  at  Buffalo  in  1901,  in  the  Tiffany  exhibit  of 
American  gems,  since  purchased  and  presented  to  the  Musee  d'His- 
toire  Xaturelle  at  Paris.  The  two-color  crystals,  part  green  and  part 
red,  are  remarkably  strong  at  the  point  of  contact,  so  that  many  have 

*  Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  1900,   pp.  33,  M  (reprint). 


I 


60 


GEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OP    CALIFORNIA. 


been  cut  showing  one-half  of  the  gem  green,  either  pale  or  dark,  and 
the  other  a  handsome  pink  or  red.  Some  of  the  crystals  have  circular 
hollows  or  threadlike  inclusions,  so  that  when  they  are  cut  across 
these  layers  they  form  admirable  cat's-eyes.  Quite  a  number  of  remark- 
ably beautiful  cat's-eyes  Aveighing  from  25  to  30  carats  have  been  found, 
varying  from  almost  colorless  to  pale  pink,  rose,  red,  pale  green, 
yellow-green  and  dark  green.  For  this  peculiar  type  of  tourmalines, 
Mesa  Grande  is  preeminent.  One  very  large  gem,  weighing  over  50 
■carats,  showed  the  beautiful  bi-coloration  of  pink  and  green.  This  locality 
has  been  worked  more  thoroughly  and  has  been  more  productive  than 
any  other  in  the  United  States.  The  mineralogical  specimens  alone 
must  have  a  value  of  some  $30,000;  and  up  to  1905,  gems  to  the  value 


ILL.  No.  14.     RED  TOURMALINK  CRYSTALS  ON  QUARTZ  CRYSTAL, 
MESA   GRANDE. 


of  $200,000  are  said  to  have  been  taken  out.  A  fine  series  of  these 
crystals  is  in  the  Morgan  collection  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History,  New  York. 

During  the  past  year  or  two  several  other  remarkable  localities  have 
lieen  discovered.  One  of  these,  the  Pala  Chief  mine,  is  situated  a  mile 
and  a  half  northeast  of  the  town  of  Pala,  and  within  a  mile  of  the  cele- 
brated lepidolite  and  rubellite  workings  at  that  place.  But  the  tourma- 
lines at  the  new  opening  are  more  like  those  of  Mesa  Grande,  and  even 
larger.  Some  crystals  were  as  much  -  as  a  foot  long  and  three  inches 
across,  of  rich  pink  rubellite  with  an  exterior  coating  of  the  dark  blue 
variety,  indicolite,  separated  by  a  pale  intervening  zone.  Other  pink 
•crystals  have  a  blue  cap  or   termination,  of  a  deep  shade,  inclining 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERLVLS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


61 


toward  purple.  One  very  remarkably  large  crystal  is  like  a  hollow 
cylinder,  apparently  composed  of  a  group  of  prisms  sun-ounding  an 
open  central  space  at  the  axis  of  the  cluster;  this  is  entirely  of  a  rather 
dull  blue,  verging  toward  reddish  in  the  interior.  This  locality,  how- 
ever, has  not  yet  been  worked  for  its  tourmalines,  owing  to  its  yielding 
the  remarkable  new  gem-stone,  kunzite — transparent  lilac  spodumene. 
which  has  attracted  so  much  attention  of  late. 

The  principal  mine  at  this  locality,  known  as  the  Pala  Chief,  was 
located  in  Mav,  1903,  bv  Mr.  Frank  A.  Salmons,  John  Giddens,  and 


ILL.  Xo.  15.     PALA  CHILF  MINE.  I'ALA   -LirTIl\VK>Tl::HX  ENL'  UF  \VmEKINi.,S. 
LOOKING  EAST.     KUNZITE  AND  GEM  TOURMALINE. 


two  Basque  French  prospectors,  Bernardo  Heriart  and  Pedro  Peiletch- 
It  presents  the  usual  type  of  the  mines  of  this  region — a  large  vein  or 
dike  of  pegmatite,  between  upper  and  lower  walls  of  gray,  somewhat 
decomposed,  diorite  (or  gabbro).  The  vein  has  the  characteristic  divi- 
sion, elsewhere  described,  into  an  upper  portion,  more  or  less  coarsely 
crystallized,  consisting  largely  of  the  tAvq  feldspars,  albite  and  orthoclase, 
with  some  quartz,  and  a  lower  portion  of  fine  compact  feldspathic 
granite,  without  mica,  and  lined  or  banded  in  layers  with  small  essonite 
garnets^-the  so-called  "line-rock."  Between  these  is  a  zone  of  pockets, 
with  much  lepidolite,  and  the  pockets  filled  with  a  talcose  or  clay-like 


I 


G2  GEMS,    JEWET.ERS'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF   CALIFORNIA. 

material,  of  white  and  reddish  tints,  in  which  are  found  the  tonrmaline 
and  kunzite  crystals.     These  have  been  already  described. 

On  another  ridge  eastward  of  this  one,  but  separated  only  l)y  a  narrow 
valley,  the  two  Basque  Frenchmen  above  named,  in  conjunction  with 
Mr.  Fred  M.  Sickler  and  his  father,  M.  M.  Sickler,  have  discovered  and 
located  several  claims  showing  kunzite  and  more  or  less  of  gem-tour- 
maline. The  name  of  Heriart  Mountain  has  been  given  to  this  ridge, 
which  is  apparently  a  foothill  or  spur  of  Agua  Tibia  Mountain. 

Several  tourmaline  mines  have  also  been  located  north  and  east  of 
Coahuila,  Riverside  County,  by  Mr.  Bert  Simmons,  of  Oak  Grove,  from 
which  some  large  gems  have  been  obtained.  Mr.  Simmons  has  also 
developed  several  mines  southwest  of  Oak  Grove,  on  Aguanga  Moun- 
tain, which  have  produced  a  number  of  gem-tourmalines.  From  one 
of  the  mines  here,  owned  by  Mr.  K.  C.  Naylor  of  San  Diego,  several 
fine  yellow  stones  have  been  taken.  These  mines  have  also  shown  a 
number  of  other  minerals,  such  as  spodumene  (kunzite),  columbite- 
tantalite,  pink  beryl,  etc.  The  first  announcement  of  this  region  was 
made  by  the  Avriter.* 

This  entire  lithia  region,  the  geological  character  of  the  deposits  as 
well  as  the  descriptive  mineralogical  part,  is  now  being  monographed 
by  Dr.  Waldemar  T.  Schaller,  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  f  to  be 
published  in  1905. 

Another  discovery  of  a  locality  for  colored  tourmalines  and  kunzite 
is  recently  reported  from  a  new  district  in  San  Diego  County,  about 
10  miles  south  and  somewhat  west  from  Pala,  in  Section  26,  T.  10  S., 
R.  3  E.  The  locality  is  in  Moosa  Canon,  near  Moosa  Falls,  and  the 
discoverers  are  Messrs.  Thomas  Freeman  and  Joe  Meyers,  of  Oceanside. 
The  surface  indications,  and  specimens  brought  in,  suggest  that  the 
discovery  may  prove  as  rich  as  the  other  and  older  mines.  Quartz 
crystals  of  large  size  are  also  found  there,  and  smoky  topaz  is  said  to 
be  abundant;  but  this  is  more  probably  smoky  quartz,  as  the  topaz  has 
not  been  found  associated  heretofore  with  kunzite  or  highly  colored 
tourmaline.    . 

These  g-em-tourmalines  all  contain  some  lithia,  and  are  found  in  asso- 
ciation with  other  lithia  minerals,  such  as  lepidolite  (lithia  mica), 
amblygonite  (lithia  phosphate),  and  the  alumina-lithia  silicate,  spOd' 
uniene  (kunzite).  The  particular  associations,  however,  vary  at 
different  localities.  Thus,  in  the  Pala  district  there  are  three  adjacent 
ridges;  the  western  one,  known  as  Pala  Mountain,  contains  the 
great  lepidolite  and  amblygonite  mine,  now  worked  for  some  years, 
which   has   furnished   the   radiating   groups   of  pink    rubellite    above 

*Report  Dept.  Min.  Statistics,  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  1901,  p.  31  (reprint).  Science, 
January  28,  1904  (Vol.  XIX). 

tScience,  February  12,  1904,  p.  266  (Vol.  XIX). 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV.  63 

described,  elegant  as  specimens,  but  not  transparent;  on  the  same  ridge 
is  the  Stewart  mine,  which  yields  larger  crystals  of  rubellite  and  some 
of  other  colors.  On  the  middle  ridge,  Pala.  Chief  Mountain,  is  the 
recently  opened  mine  of  that  name,  already  mentioned,  where  the  very 
large  colored  tourmalines  occur,  with  kunzite,  but  little  or  no  amblyg- 
onite.  Other  openings  on  this  ridge  are  the  Tourmaline  Queen  and 
Tourmaline  King,  of  which  the  former  especially  shows  crystals  of  rich 
and  varied  coloring.  On  the  eastern  ridge,  Heriart  Mountain,  are 
several  openings  at  which  kunzite  is  found,  and  frequent  association  of 


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ILL.  Xo.  16.     PALA  MOUXTAIX,  SAX  DIK'tO  COUXTY,    LEPIDOLITE   MIXE.     XEAR 
VIEW  OF  THE  DUMP. 

gem-tourmaline  and  lepidolite.  The  Mesa  Grande  locality  has  already 
been  described;  the  great  mine  is  the  Himalaya,  but  the  Esmeralda  and 
one  or  two  others  have  rich  and  beautiful  gem-tourmalines,  but  none 
have  kunzite.  The  Ramona  district,  that  yields  garnet  and  topaz,  has 
less  tourmaline,  and  hardly  any  of  gem  quality.  The  Riverside  County 
localities,  in  the  San  Jacinto  Mountains,  include  the  Fano  (originally 
the  Simmons)  mine,  a  rich  producer  of  colored  j;ourmaline,  and  the 
Columbia  (also  called  the  April  Fool)  mine,  which  was  the  first  one 
discovered  in  the  State,  and  has  yielded  many  beautiful  gems,  but  has 
not  been  much  worked  of  late. 


64 


GEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA, 


QUARTZ, 

Quartz  is  one  of  the  commonest  of  all  minerals,  occurring  in  rock- 
masses  nearly  pure,  and  forming  a  large  proportion  of  most  of  the 
granitic  rocks.  Its  hardness,  and  the  fact  that  it  is  unaffected  by  most 
chemicals,  render  it  very  stable  and  persistent,  and  it  hence  forms  the 
largest  part  of  most  sands  and  sandstones.  Its  varieties  are  almost 
innumerable  in  color  and  aspect,  and  many  of  them  are  beautiful  as 
ornamental  and  semi-precious  stones.  The  crystals  of  quartz  are  easily 
recognized  by  their  peculiar  form,  that  of  a  six-sided  prism,  long  ami 
slender  or  short  and  stout,  terminated  by  a  sharp  six-sided  pyramid  at 
one  or  both  extremities.     Some  of  its  varieties  are  the  following: 


Crystalline. 

Rock-crystal  (colorless). 


Non-Crystalline. 

Chalcedony  (white  and  various  pale  tints). 

Carnelian  (pink  to  red). 

Sard  (dark  red  or  brown-red). 

Chrysoprase  (green). 

Agate  (banded,  of  various  colors). 

Rainbow  agate. 

Royal  agate. 

Onyx  (black  and  white,  banded). 

Moss-agate,  Mocha-stone. 

Hydrolite  (inclosing  water). 

Jasper,   an    impure    quartz    (usually   red, 

green  or  brown). 
Bloodstone  (heliotrope). 
Jasper  agate  (banded  with  different  colors). 
Lydian  stone,  Basanite,  Touchstone  (black 

jasper). 
Novaculite,  Whetstone. 
Agatized  wood. 
Jasperized  wood. 


Amethyst  (purple). 

Citrine  (yellow).. 

Rose-quartz  (pink). 

Smoky  quartz  (smoky). 

Cairngorm  stone  (smoky). 

Spanish  topaz  (deep  yellow  or  brown). 

Morion  (black). 

Plasma,  prase  (green). 

Asteriated  quartz. 

Aventurine  (spangled). 

Quartz  cat's-eye. 

Gold-qiiartz. 

Dumortierite  quartz. 

Tourmalinated  quartz. 

Hornblende  in  quartz. 

Gothite  in  quartz  (Onegite). 

Rutilated  quartz  (Sagenite  or  Filches 

d' amour). 
Thetis  hairstone. 

Many  of  these  varieties  exist  in  California. 

Rock-crystal. — Transparent  colorless  quartz,  or  rock-crystal,  though 
not  rare  as  a  mineral,  is  seldom  found  in  masses  of  large  size.  When 
it  is,  however,  it  is  valuable  for  use  in  the  ornamental  arts.  One  or  two 
localities  tn  the  Alps,  which  have  been  known  and  worked  from  Roman 
times,  though  very  difficult  and  perilous  of  access,  have  furnished  mate- 
rial for  the  elegant  carved  objects  to  be  seen  in  European  palaces  and 
museums. 

In  Japan  also,  large  crystals  were  formerly  obtained,  from  which 
were  made  the  polished  balls  so  much  prized  by  the  natives,  and  after- 
wards by  foreigners,  who  have  now  almost  drained  the  country  of  them 
by  purchase.  Japan  has  not  yielded  much  new  material  for  some  years, 
and  the  main  supply  of  it  has  been  derived  from  Madagascar  and  Brazil. 
Within  the  last  decade,  however,  very  fine  rock-crystal  masses  have 
been  obtained  in  the  United  States,  especially  in  California. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OP    CALIFORNIA. 


65 


In -1891-92  an  important  development  of  crystallized  quartz  was 
made  at  Placerville,  El  Dorado  County,  by  Mr.  James  Blakiston,  in  a 
quartz  ledge  running  north  and  south,  and  dipping  eastward  about  45 
to  50  degrees.*  The  rock  of  the  ledge  is  partly  decomposed  and  partly 
compact,  and  is  traversed  perhaps  a  hundred  feet  by  a  vein  of  crys- 
tallized quartz  varying  from  6  to  14  inches  in  width.  This  vein  is  also 
decomposed,  and  is  filled  in  with  a  reddish  earth  or  sand,  and  can  be 
dug  into  with  a  stick  or  board.  It  is  full  of  quartz  crystals,  of  all 
sizes,  from  that  of  a  man's  finger  up  to  remarkable  dimensions,  some 
of  them  weighing  as  much  as  80  or  90  pounds.  Several  of  these,  over 
50  pounds  in  weight,  were  pellucid  and  free  from  flaws;  while  others 
have  peculiar  interest  from  remarkable  inclusions  of  chlorite,  3  to  5 
millimeters  in  thickness,  at  several 
depths  in  the  crystal — thus  marking 
successive  stages  of  crystal  growth, 
and  making  very  striking  "phan- 
toms," generally  of  green  chlorite  on 
white  quartz  layers.  Of  still  greater 
interest,  however,  are  other  quartz 
crystals,  2  to  4  inches  in  length  and 
half  that  in  transverse  diameter,  con- 
taining at  and  near  their  centers  in- 
clusions resembling  groups  or  clusters 
of  dolomite  or  siderite  crystals,  cream- 
white  to  brown  in  color,  and  consist- 
ing of  many  rhombohedra  from  2  to 
4  millimeters  in  diameter.  On  break- 
ing the  specimens,  however,  the 
curious  fact  appears  that  these  groups 
are  hollow  cavities  in  the  quartz,  the 
spaces  being  lined  with  a  layer  of 
chalcedony,  or  when  brown,  occupied  only  by  a  brown  silicious  mate- 
rial. This  would  indicate  that  the  original  mineral  must  have  been 
siderite  or  ankerite,  afterwards  covered  by  successive  growths  of  the 
quartz,  and  in  some  manner  decomposed  during  that  process. 

The  most  remarkable  California  quartz  discovery,  however,  was  made 
in  1897,  by  John  E,  Burton,  of  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  in  Calaveras  County, 
at  the  old  Green  Mountain  mine,  in  Chile  Gulch,  a  mile  and  a  half 
south  of  Mokelumne  Hill.  Here,  in  one  of  the  ancient  river  channels, 
about  350  feet  wide,  filled  with  auriferous  gravel  and  covered  by  an 
overflow  of  lava — which  are  characteristic  of  this  portion  of  Cahfornia — 
were  found  a  quantity  of  enormous  quartz  crystals,  embedded  in  the  old 

*Am.  J.  Sci.  (3),  1892,  Vol.  XLIII,  p.  329.  Gems  and  Precious  Stones  of  North 
America,  Kunz,  p.  351  (Appendix),  1892. 

5 — MB 


ILL.  No.  17.  Quar^i  Crystal  from 
Placerville,  El  Dorado  County. 
Weight  346  lbs.  In  Morgan  collec- 
tion, American  Museum  Natural 
History,  New  York  City. 


66  GEMS,    .lEWELKRS'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 

gravel.  It  is  claimed  that  twelve  tons  were  taken  out  in  the  years  1897 
and  1898;  one  giant  crystal,  surrounded  by  an  attached  cluster  of  forty- 
seven  smaller  ones,  weighed  over  a  ton.  A  number  of  the  finest  were 
sent  to  New'  York,  and  splendid  balls  were  cut  from  them  by  machinery 
constructed  for  the  purpose.  One  of  the  largest  crystals  measured  in 
the  rough  19  by  15  by  14  inches,  and  another  14  by  14  by  9  inches.  A 
perfect  sphere  cut  from  one  of  these  crystals  has  a  diameter  of  5^  inches, 
and  is  absolutely  without  a  flaw.  It  is  worth  $3000.  Even  larger 
spheres  have  been  cut  from  these  California  crystals — two  ranging  up 
to  7^  inches  in  diameter,  but  they  are  not  entirely  flawless.  The  first 
mentioned  sphere,  and  one  of  7\  inches,  cut  by  Tiffany  &  Co.,  are  the 
largest  ever  produced  in  this  country,  and  are  justly  held  among  the 
most  valued  treasures  of  the  Morgan-Tiffany  collection;  and  one  7  j-inch 
ball  is  in  the  collection  of  the  Musee  d'Histoire  Naturelle  at  Paris.  A 
large,  perfect  hexagonal  crystal  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History  weighs  346  pounds.  There  were  in  all  some  twelve  tons  of 
crystals  found,  but  few  yielded  cutting  material. 

Some  of  the  crystals  here  found  are  apparently  the  largest  ever 
obtained  anywhere.  The  exteriors  were  frequently  roughened  or  dis- 
colored, in  other  cases  quite  bright;  but  within,  the  quartz  was  clear 
and  colorless.  The  great  crystal  in  the  one-ton  group  just  mentioned 
showed  a  portion  in  its  interior  that  was  beautifully  clear  for  a  space 
of  14  by  16  by  24  inches,  and  might  yield  a  flawless  ball  of  over  a  foot 
in  diameter.  It  w^as  with  great  difficulty  that  this  splendid  mass  could 
be  taken  out  of  the  tunnel  without  injuring  it.  As  the  crystals  show 
little  wear,  they  have  evidently  not  been  transported  far  from  their 
source,  and  must  have  come  from  some  vein  or  fissure  cut  through  by 
the  ancient  streams  a  little  way  above.  If  this  could  be  discovered,  it 
might  be  a  most  remarkable  crystal  mine. 

So  far  as  the  gravel  deposit  here  was  explored  by  drifts,  the  crystals 
appeared  to  be  strewn  through  it,  and  it  would  seem  that  there  must 
be  a  large  amount  of  valuable  material  there;  but  no  further  actual 
work  has  been  done  for  several  years. 

Other  €alifornia  localities  for  crystals  of  several  pounds  in  weight 
a-re  Drum  Valley,  Three  Rivers,  and  Yokohl,  in  the  neighborhood  of 
Visalia,  in  Tulare  County. 

Many  fine  crystals  are  also  obtained  in  some  of  the  mines  in  San 
Diego  and  Riverside  counties,  where  they  occur  in  the  pegmatite  veins 
that  are  worked  for  tourmaline  and  beryl.  The  Fano  mine,  in  River- 
side County,  near  Coahuila,  has  sold  some  200  pounds  of  choice  quartz 
crystals;  they  are  also  frequent  at  the  Himalaya  mine,  at  Mesa  Grande, 
both  colorless  and  smoky,  at  the  Mack  mine  on  Mount  Palomar,  and  in 
most  of  the  mines  throughout  that  region  of  the  State.  Some  of  these 
may  yield  good  material  for  use  in  the  arts. 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV. 


67 


The  Indians  used  quartz  of  all  kinds  for  arrow-  and  spear-points. 
Those  made  of  colorless  transparent  rock-crystal  are  rare  and  beautiful; 
some  specimens  of  these,  only  an  inch  long,  from  Calaveras  County, 
were  presented  to  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  some  years  ago,  by  Mr. 
J.  Z.  Davis. 

Amethyst,  the  purple  variety  of  quartz,  has  not  been  found  to  any 


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ILL.  No.  18.     OUTCROP    OF    ROSE    QUARTZ— FREE    ZONE,  NEAR  THE 
MEXICAN  LINE,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY. 


great  extent  in  California;  though  it  occurs  somewhat  in  Mono  County, 
at  the  Noonday  mine,  Bodie-  district. 

Smoky  Quartz  is  somewhat  abundant,  but  has  been  already  men- 
tioned at  the  principal  points,  under  Rock-crystal. 

Rose-Quartz  is  a  semi-crystalline  translucent  variety,  of  pale  pink 
color,  sometimes  slightly  opalescent.  It  is  capable  of  use  for  many 
ornamental  purposes  being  cut  into  balls,  pendants,  small  vases,  etc. 


68  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,    op    CALIFORNIA. 

Rose-quartz  is  a  substance  much  ai)])reciated  by  the  Orientals,  and  it 
has  been  successfully  imitated  by  them  by  dipping  white  quartz  rock, 
after  heating,  into  an  aniline  solution;  this  process  opens  cracks  in  the 
quartz,  which  upon  cooling  absorbs  the  rose  color,  and  retains  it  per- 
manently. 

Rose-quartz  of  choice  pink  color  exists  in  some  quantity  at  several 
points  in  Tulare  County.  Specimens  from  Yokohl  and  Three  Rivers 
have  been  sold  at  remunerative  prices;  and  according  to  Prof.  W.  H. 
Smith,  of  Visalia,  it  is  found,  of  good  quality,  at  several  other  places  in 
that  vicinity.  Rose-quartz  is  frequent  also  in  the  pegmatite  veins  of 
the  gem  mines  in  San  Diego  and  Riverside  counties  (described  under 
beryl,  tourmaline,  and  kunzite).  It  is  also  reported  as  a  large  out- 
cropping ledge,  rising  above  the  surface  of  the  ground  for  a  distance  of 
240  feet,  with  a  width  of  40  feet,  at  a  point  near  the  Mexican  boundary; 
the  location  is  given  by  Mr.  N.  G.  Douglas,  who  describes  it  as  45  miles 
from  San  Diego  and  29  miles  from  Tia  Juana,  on  the  public  road  from 
the  last-named  place  to  Ensenada,  in  the  so-called  "Free  Zone.''  It  is 
claimed  that  the  material  can  be  quarried  out  here  in  blocks  of  any 
desired  size.  Another  occurrence  of  rose-quartz,  somewhat  opalescent, 
is  announced  by  Mr.  Edward  N.  Walsh,  at  Escondido,  San  Diego 
County. 

Gold-Quartz. — One  of  the  most  characteristic  ornamental  stones  of 
California  is  the  gold-quartz,  which  has  been  used  to  a  large  extent  for 
jewelry  and  art  objects.  The  gold  of  the  placers  and  gravel-beds  is 
derived  from  auriferous  quartz  veins  in  the  metamorphic  slates  of  the 
Sierra  Nevada,  having  been  worn  out  and  washed  down  in  the  slow 
decay  of  those  rocks.  But  the  most  important  mining  operations  are 
now  conducted  upon  the  veins  themselves,  where  the  quartz  is  taken 
out  and  crushed.  In  most  cases  the  gold,  even  in  a  rich  vein,  is  scarcely 
visible;  but  sometimes  it  is  so  abundant  and  so  conspicuous  that  it 
makes  a  strikingly  ornamental  stone — a  matrix  of  white  quartz,  either 
opaque  or  translucent,  through  which  gold  is  distributed  freely  in  little 
patches  or  stringers.  Jewelers  pay  from  $20  to  $30  for  each  ounce  of 
gold  contained  in  such  material — the  gold  itself  being  worth  about 
$16.50.  The  price  of  specimens  varies  from  $3  to  $40  an  ounce, 
according  to  their  beauty  and  to  the  proportion  of  gold  included. 
This  latter  is  determined  by  specific  gravity. 

Some  crystals  of  limpid  quartz,  containing  particles  of  native  gold, 
have  been  found  in  California.  One  of  these  was  said  to  have  been  an 
inch  long,  inclosing  in  the  center  a  scale  of  gold  about  the  size  of  the 
lunule  of  a  finger  nail.  In  Nevada  County,  in  the  Grass  Valley  mines, 
quartz  is  occasionally  found  supporting  gold  between  the  crystals. 
Most  of  the  white  gold-quartz  comes  from  the  counties  of  Butte,  Cala- 
veras, El  Dorado,    Mariposa,    Nevada,  Placer,  Sierra,  Tuolumne,  and 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV.  69 

Yul)a.  A  l)lack  gold-quartz  is  found  at  the  Sheep  Ranch  mine,  in  Cahi- 
veras  County,  and  at  Sutter  Creek,  in  Amador.  Occasionally  bowlders 
of  gold-quartz  are  met  with.  A  smoothly  rolled  mass  of  this  character 
was  taken  out  of  the  bank  of  the  Nevada  Hydraulic  Company,  at  Gib- 
sonville.  It  weighed  160  pounds,  and  was  judged  to  contain  $2500 
worth  of  gold;  but  its  value  for  lapidary  purposes  was  greater. 

An  artificial  imitation  of  this  stone  has  been  made,  by  throwing 
grains  of  gold  from  crushed  quartz  into  a  fused  milky  glass,  and  allow- 
ing it  to  solidify  in  molds  of  various  shapes.  Another  process  was  to 
produce  a  so-called  rose  gold-quartz,  by  backing  a  translucent  gold- 
quartz  with  carmine  paste.  This  was  quite  effective,  especially  when 
used  in  connection  with  the  black  or  the  opaque  variety.  The  same 
thing  might  be  done  with  backings  of  other  colors,  and  a  striking  variety 
of  effects  produced.  There  occurs  in  Hungary  an  amethystine  gold- 
quartz  of  great  beauty,  which  could  be  readily  imitated  in  this  way. 

Gold-quartz  is  made  into  a  great  variety  of  articles  of  jewelry  and 
ornament,  such  as  cane-heads,  paper-weights,  fan-sticks,  bracelets,  etc.; 
it  is  also  employed  for  inlaying  in  certain  kinds  of  elegant  furniture, 
where  it  contrasts  finely  with  dark  wood  or  with  other  minerals  of 
pronounced  color,  such  as  jasper,  malachite,  smoky  quartz,  etc. 

The  jewelry  made  from  this  material  is  mostly  sold  to  tourists  from 
the  East  and  from  foreign  countries,  though  a  good  deal  is  also  used  in 
California.  Eleven  hundred  dollars'  worth  was  purchased  some  years 
ago,  by  an  embassy  from  Asia;  and  almost  all  visitors  buy  specimens  as 
souvenirs.  The  largest  and  most  ambitious  piece  of  work  in  gold-quartz 
is  a  model  of  the  cathedral  of  Xotre  Dame  in  Paris;  it  is  about  a  foot 
high,  and  is  valued  at  $20,000.  The  amount  of  this  material  used  in 
jewelry  has  varied  greatly;  it  has  at  times  been  estimated  as  high  as 
$40,000  a  year,  but  has  not  approached  such  figures  of  late.  One  lapi- 
dary in  Oakland,  where  most  of  the  cutting  is  done,  bought  nearly 
$10,000  worth  in  one  year,  and  a  large  San  Francisco  firm  of  jewelers 
bought  nearly  $15,000  worth.  In  1902  the  production  amounted  to  only 
about  $3000.' 

In  the  selection  of  the  quartz  for  art  Avork  great  care  is  necessary. 
The  stones  used  must  be  large  enough  to  bear  the  rough  treatment  of 
the  diamond-saw  and  the  lap-wheel  of  the  polisher.  All  the  rock  quartz 
is  friable,  and  some  of  it  crumbles  to  pieces  while  undergoing  these 
processes.  The  saw,  catching  in  the  gold  in  the  slitting,  prevents  the 
cutting  of  large  pieces,  as  the  wafer-like  slabs  are  apt  to  be  broken  by 
this  resistance  while  being  detached  from  the  mass.  For  this  reason, 
all  the  pieces  set  in  cabinet  work  are  small.  Pieces  4  by  2  inches  are 
quite  rare;  although  fine  pieces  4  inches  square  are  at  times  seen.  Rarely 
more  than  half  of  the  rough  material  purchased  finds  its  way  into  the 
market,  owing  to  breakage  while  being  trimmed  into  shape. 


<()  GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC..    OF    CALIFORNL\. 

Quartz  Inclusions. — Quartz  is  frequently  penetrated  by  other 
minerals,  and  these  combinations  are  often  very  beautiful  and  are 
valued  as  ornamental  stones.  Instances  of  this  kind,  mentioned  in 
some  of  the  writer's  reports  on  the  Mineral  Resources  of  the  United 
States,  are  the  following:  At  the  tourmaline  locality  near  Coahuila,  in 
Riverside  County,  the  quartz  is  sometimes  penetrated  with  fine  hair- 
like crystals  of  tourmaline,  so  as  much  to  resemble  the  beautiful  ruti- 
lated  quartz,  or  sagenite.  One  of  the  finest  of  these  specimens  is  now  in 
the  collection  of  Harvard  University,  at  Cambridge,  Mass.,  and  another 
in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  History  at  New  York.*  A  recent 
announcement  has  been  made  of  the  finding  of  smoky  quartz  penetrated 
by  black  and  greenish-black  tourmaline,  near  Fallbrook,  8  miles  west  of 
Pala,  in  San  Diego  County.  Mr.  W.  H.  Trenchard  reports  quartz  inclu- 
sions of  tourmaline,  hornblende,  and  other  minerals,  as  frequent 
throughout  southern  California,  especially  at  the  mines  where  the  gem- 
tourmalines  occur. 

In  Tulare  County,  on  Deer  Creek,  Mr.  L.  B.  Hawkins  obtained  speci- 
mens of  a  similar  penetration  of  quartz  by  hornblende  crystals,  f  This 
combination  has  also  been  noted  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  at  Tyler's 
Ranch,  near  Oleta,  Amador  County,  and  at  Fairplay,  El  Dorado  County. ^; 

A  notable  occurrence  of  this  character  is  that  already  described  (p.  65) 
in  El  Dorado  County,  near  Placerville,  where  a  decomposed  quartz  vein 
is  full  of  crystals  ranging  from  the  size  of  a  man's  finger  up  to  80  or  90 
pounds.  Several  pieces  of  the  quartz,  over  50  pounds  in  weight,  were 
pellucid  and  free  from  flaws,  w^hile  others  contained  remarkable  inclu- 
sions of  green  chlorite,  3  to  5  millimeters  in  thickness.  Some  of  the 
crystals  also  contain  inclusions  of  chalcedony,  cream-white  to  brown  in 
color. 

Other  interesting  quartz  inclusions  are  reported  by  Mr.  H.  F.  Wheaton, 
of  Riverside  County,  from  the  San  Bernardino  range,  in  the  county  of 
the  same- name,  in  the  desert.  These  are  the  kind  known  by  the  name 
of  sagenite,  in  which  transparent  quartz  crystals  are  penetrated  with 
long  slender  crystals  of  brilliant  red  or  brown  rutile,  the  oxide  of 
titanium'.  This  variety  is  well  known  and  much  admired,  as  both  curi- 
ous and  elegant,  and  has  received  the  name  abroad  of  ''flechesd'amour," 
or  "love's  arrows."  When  pieces  of  any  considerable  size  are  obtained, 
it  is  a  beautiful  material  for  carving  into  objects  of  art.  There  were 
also  noted  colorless  quartz  crystals  with  chloritic  "phantoms"  including 
"  minute  grouped  masses  of  a  green  color,"  thought  to  be  chrysocolla  or 
epidote. 

There  are  many  other  kinds  of  inclusions;  and  in  some  cases  the 
included  mineral  so  completely  penetrates  and  fills  the  quartz  as  to 

*Mineral  Resources  of  tlie  United  States,  1893,  p.  18. 
tibid.,  1897,  p.  14. 
Ubid.,  1894,  p.  (501. 


GEMS,    JEW'EUIRS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


change  its  aspect  entirely,  and  render  it  almost  opaque  and  highly  col- 
ored. Such  is  the  Mariposa  County  instance,  referred  to  on  page  97, 
under  jade,  where  a  quartz  filled  with  a  green  micaceous  mineral  (mari- 
posite)  in  minute  scales  forms  a  green  stone  so  resembling  jade  that  it 
is  exported  to  China,  where  jade  is  greatly  prized. 

Dumortierite  Quartz. — A  very  marked  example  of  this  character 
exists  in  Riverside  County,  on  the  Colorado  Desert,  about  50  miles 
north  of  Yuma  and  11  miles  west  of  the  Colorado  River.  Here  quartz 
is  found  that  is  so  filled  with  a  rare  dark  blue  mineral,  known  as 
Dumortierite,  that  it  closely  resembles  the  celebrated  stone  long  familiar 
in  jewelry  and  the  arts  as  lapis  lazuli.  Mr.  John  Stewart,  of  Los 
Angeles,  who  described  the  locality,  states  that  the  material  is  abundant 
and  can  be  taken  out  in  blocks  of  several  hundred  pounds,  varying  from 
light  to  dark  blue  and  mingled  blue  and  white.  This  should  be  a  very 
fine  ornamental  stone,  as  it  polishes  beautifully.  The  locality,  however, 
is  remote  and  can  only  be  worked  in  the  winter  or  the  rainy  season,  as 
water  has  to  be  hauled  from  the  Colorado  River,  and  the  climate  is  too 
hot  for  either  horses  or  white  men  from  June  to  December. 

Near  Dehesa,*  San  Diego  County,  is  a  large  body  of  lavender-colored 
dumortierite  in  quartz,  which,  if  cut  and  polished,  would  make  hand- 
some specimens.  This  is  evidently  the  mineral  that  was  mistaken  by 
the  early  collectors  for  erythrite,  which  it  slightly  resembles  in  struc- 
ture and  color.     Ervthrite  has  a  metallic  lustre,  the  dumortierite  has 


CHALCEDONY, 

t  >n  some  of  the  California  beaches  are  found  many  interesting  pebbles 
of  chalcedony  that  frequently  have  the  appearance  of  a  partial  polish. 
Among  the  most  notable  of  these  beaches  are  Crescent  City,  Pescadero, 
and  Redondo.  The  first  named  is  in  Del  Norte  County,  at  the  extreme 
northern  end  of  the  State.  Pescadero  is  nearly  central,  lying  some  25 
miles  directly  west  of  San  Jose,  and  may  be  reached  by  a  beautiful 
mountain  ride  of  25  miles  from  San  Mateo.  The  pebbles  are  found  in 
great  profusion,  of  different  varieties  of  chalcedony  and  agate,  many  of 
them  beautifully  marked;  others  are  apparently  of  jasper,  and  occasion- 
ally of  fossil  coral.  Some  of  them  are  hollow  geodes  of  chalcedony, 
inclosing  a  liquid  with  a  moving  bubble,  like  the  "hydrolites"  from 
Uruguay,  South  America,  or  from  Tampa,  Florida,  and  near  Astoria, 
Oregon.  These  little  sealed  flasks,  as  they  might  be  called,  vary  from 
the  size  of  a  pea,  or  less,  up  to  rarely  an  inch  in  length,  and  are  much 
sought  after.  Redondo  is  a  favorite  beach  resort,  about  15  miles  south 
of  Los  Angeles.     Here  also  are  found  many  beautiful  pebbles.     It  is 

♦Report  of  Dept.  Min.  Statistics,  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey. 


tZ  GEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV. 

quite  the  custom  after  e.icli  tide  for  \\\v  guests  at  the  hotel  to  visit  the 
beach  to  look  for  these  treasures,  which  are  especially  abundant  north 
of  the  pier.  They  are  believed  to  come  from  a  bed  of  sand  and  gravel 
in  the  vicinity.  Several  of  these  pebbles  were  found  in  1901  in  an 
Indian  grave  near  Redondo. 

At  both  these  beach  resorts,  large  quantities  of  the  pebbles  are  gath- 
ered and  sold  to  tourists,  often  in  bottles  of  water,  to  bring  out  their 


"-•in     ^Sk. 

• 

J 

i 

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1     -J 

^5 

J  - 

^ 

ftoj"^ 

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§ 

^9 

ILL.  No.  1".).     PEBBLES  FROM  PESCADERO  BEACH,  SAN  MATEO  COUNTY. 

varied  colors.  Long  chains  and  other  ornaments  are  also  made  by 
drilling  the  stones  and  stringing  them  on  a  flexible  wire. 

Another  important  pebble  locality  is  that  known  as  Moonstone  Beach, 
on  Santa  Catalina  island.  The  pebbles  are  not  moonstones,  but  nodules 
of  quartz  weathered  out  of  a  rhyolite  rock — composed  of  sanidine  feld- 
spar and  quartz — while  those  of  Eedoijdo  and  Pescadero  are  agate  and 
chalcedony,  and  come  from  amygdaloidal  rocks. 

Similar  pebbles  of  varied  coloring  occur  on  Upper  Spanish  Creek, 
above  Green  Flat,  in  Meadow  Valley,  Plumas  County,  according  to  Mr. 
J.  A.  Edman.*     Another  locality  is  on  the  shores  of  Lake  Tahoe,  where 


*  U.  S.  GeoL  Survey,  Dept.  Min.  Statistics, 


),  p.  40  (reprint). 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  73 

they  are  veiy  abundant  at  points;  and  still  another  is  Canon  Springs, 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  State,  as  announced  by  Mr.  C.  R.  Orcutt, 
who  found  hydrolites  and  many  beautiful  agates  in  the  drift  of  the 
desert  and  strewn  over  the  mesas.* 

Xumerous  handsome  varieties  of  chalcedony  are  known  to  occur  in 
California.  Among  these  is  a  light  blue  variety,  sometimes  called 
saphirine  chalcedon}-.  This  is  a  stone  that  was  highly  valued  in  very 
ancient  times,  and  was  a  favorite  material  for  the  carved  Babylonian 
seals,  3000  to  4000  B.  C.  That  used  for  this  purpose  came  from  Persia; 
it  occurs  also  in  the  Urals,  and  at  Treszytan  in  Hungary.  Saphirine 
chalcedonj'^  of  equal  beauty  is  found  at  Kane  Springs,  in  Kern  County, 
in  masses  of  a  deep  sky-blue   color,  with  the   "botr3'oidal"   or  grape- 


ILL.  Xu.  20.  PEBBLE  BEACH,  REDOXDO,  LOS  ANGELES  COUXTY. 

cluster  surface  characteristic  of  much  chalcedony.  It  does  not  seem  to 
have  been  developed,  however,  nor  is  the  amount  of  it  to  be  had  yet 
known. 

Prof.  William  P.  Blake  mentions  the  occurrence  of  large  masses  of 
white  chalcedony,  delicately  veined  and  in  mammillary  sheets,  near  the 
Panoche,  in  Fresno  County,  and  also  in  Monterey  County,  and  of  pink 
chalcedony  in  nodules  in  the  eruptive  rocks  in  Los  Angeles  County, 
between  Johnson's  River  and  Williamson's  Fork.  There  are  doubtless 
many  other  localities  in- the  State  where  handsome  varieties  of  chalce- 
dony occur,  that  may  be  developed  and  used.  Some  of  the  silicified 
wood,  elsewhere  noted  as  frequent  in  the  old  "sub-lava"  gold  gravels,  is 
altered  to  white  chalcedony  and  various  types  of  agate. 

*  Report  on  :Minerals  of  the  Colorado  Desert  (10th  Ann.  Kept.  State  Mineralogist),  1890. 


74  GE.MS,  jewelers'  materials,  etc.,  of  californlv. 


CHRYSOPRASE, 

Chrvso})i-;ise  is  a  chalcedony  that  is  colored  a  beautiful  light  green 
l)y  tlie  oxide  of  nickel.  It  has  Ijeen  a  favorite  stone  in  jewelry  and 
ornamental  work  from  very  ancient  times,  but  is  found  at  only  a  few 
places  in  the  world.  Within  some  years  past  several  localities  of 
chrysoprase  have  been  opened  in  California,  in  the  region  about  Visalia, 
in  Tulare  County.  The  first  discovery  was  made  as  far  back  as  1878, 
by  INIr.  George  W.  Smith,  a  surveyor,  who  collected  specimens  of  the 
mineral  and  submitted  them  to  experts.  Mr.  Max  Braverman,  of 
Visalia,  was  the  lirst  who  positively  identified  it  as  chrysoprase,  from 
its  content  of  nickel  oxide.  Specimens  were  thenceforth  gathered  and 
sent  to  various  collections  and  museums.  Later,  its  possible  value  for 
jewelry  began  to  attract  attention,  and  renewed  search  was  instituted, 
resulting  in  the  discovery  of  two  more  occurrences  of  it  in  the  same 
county — one  on  Stokes  Mountain  and  the  other  on  Tule  River.  The 
original  locality  is  at  Venice  Hill,  about  12  miles  northeast  of  Visalia. 
Here  the  chrysoprase  forms  small  veins,  2  or  3  inches  thick,  in  a  jas- 
pery  rock.  Much  of  it  is  flawed,  but  a  good  deal  of  choice  material  has 
been  taken  out  and  cut,  and  the  color  is  good.  The  principal  vein  was 
located  by  Mr.  C.  P.  Wilcomb,  formerly  of  the  Golden  Gate  Park  Museum, 
San  Francisco,  while  Mr.  Braverman  has  been  very  active  in  searching 
and  exploring.  He  and  Mr.  L.  B.  Hawkins  located  a  fourth  occurrence 
in  1897,  in  the  same  county,  at  Deer  Creek,  some  30  miles  southeast  of 
Visalia;  and  in  the  succeeding  year  a  fifth  locality  was  opened  at  Lind- 
say, half  way  between  those  two  places.  Here  again  the  material  is  apt 
to  be  flawed,  and  much  of  it  is  pale  in  color;  but  a  good  deal  has  been 
taken  out,  and  one  remarkably  fine  specimen  has  been  presented  by  Mr. 
Braverman  to  the  State  Mining  Bureau.  The  stone  here  is  mingled 
with  a  beautiful  semi-opal  of  the  same  green  colors,  for  which  Mr. 
Braverman  proposed  the  name  chrysoprase  opal  or  chrysopal. 

There  was  considerable  activity  at  these  several  mines  for  the  first 
few  yearSj-but  no  large  or  steady  production.  Twelve  hundred  pounds 
were  shipped  from  the  Deer  Creek  locality,  five  hundred  from  that  at 
Lindsay,  and  three  hundred  from  Venice  Hill;  but  the  proportion  of 
real  gem-material  was  small.  More  recently,  however,  a  New  York 
company  has  taken  up  chrysoprase  mining  with  more  system  and 
more  success.  Large  amounts  of  fine  material  have  been  taken  out, 
varying  from  deep  to  ligh-t  green,  and  a  great  deal  has  been  cut,  in  some 
cases  into  stones  weighing  several  ounces  each.  Most  of  it,  however, 
had  been  cut  into  squares,  rhombs,  ovals,  etc.,  for  studs,  links,  rings, 
and  inlaying  or  mosaic  work.  The  great  increase  in  production  is 
strikingly  shown  by  the  fact  that  the  value  of  the  annual  output,  which 


GEMS,    JE\NTELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  i  ■) 

for  several  year.>^  before  had  been  only  about  $100.  leaped  to  .$loOO  in 
1901.  and  to  $15,000  in  1902.* 

MOSS-AGATE  (MOSS  JASPER), 

Chalcedony  with  dendritic  markings,  in  masses  from  15  to  18  inches 
across,  and  jaspery  agate,  with  moss-like  markings  of  a  dark  brown 
color,  are  among  the  minerals  collected  by  Mr.  H.  F.  Johnson  in  the 
San  Bernardino  Mountains,  in  the  county  of  that  name,  in  the  desert 
region  of  California,  and  reported  by  Mr.  Wheaton,  of  Palm  Springs,  in 
the  adjacent  county  of  Riverside,  f 

JASPER, 

Jasper  is  also  found  at  many  points.  It  occurs  of  fine  quality  at 
Murphys,  in  Calaveras  County,  of  various  shades  of  red,  brown,  and 
yellow.  Mr.  J.  A.  Edman  has  described  it  in  Plumas  County,  west  of 
Meadow  Valley,  gray,  green,  red,  and  banded  red  and  white;  and  some 
of  these  richly  mingled  varieties  he  thinks  would  be  well  adapted  for 
use  in  the  arts.  Red  and  green  jaspers  are  abundant  near  San  Fran- 
cisco, where  an  impure  variety  has  been  used  for  buildings  and  side- 
walks. Around.the  shores  of  Lake  Tahoe  are  scattered  myriads  of  agate 
and  jasper  pebbles,  which  of  course  indicate  the  presence  of  these  min- 
erals in  the  rocks  of  the  vicinity.  A  very  peculiar  variety  occurs  near 
San  Francisco,  as  inclusions  in  basalt.  The  rock  is  made  up  of  red 
spherulites  consisting  of  quartz  stained  by  iron,  usually  very  small,  but 
occasionally  reaching  a  diameter  of  more  than  an  inch.  When  cut  and 
polished,  this  rock  makes  very  handsome  specimens. 

OPAL, 

H.=  6.     G.=  2.0-2.2. 

Opal  is  essentially  silica,  though  differing  from  quartz  in  containing 
small  amounts  of  water.     It  has  numerous  varieties,  such  as 

Noble  or  precious  opal.  Opaline, 

Fire  opal,  Hyalite, 

Milky  opal,  Hydrophane, 

Opal  agate,  Wood  opal. 

Moss  opal,  Opalized  wood. 

Opal  of  different  kinds  has  been  observed  at  a  number  of  points  in 
California,  but  the  precious  or  gem  variety  has  not  yet  been  obtained 


mineral  Resources  of  the  United  States,  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  1902,  p.  81 ;— table  of  pro- 
duction of  precious  stones. 
+  Ibid.,  ISOO,  p.  37  (reprint). 


76  GEMS,  jewelers'  materials,  etc.,  of  calipornlv. 

of  a  pize  and  ([iialitv  to  warrant  mining  operations.  In  1897,  fire 
opals,  small  but  good,  with  larger  pieces  of  inferior  quality,  were  identi- 
fied by  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  from  Dunsmuir,  in  Siskiyou  County. 
Very  recently  a  locality  of  precious  opal  that  may  prove  impor- 
tant has  been  reported  at  the  opposite  end  of  the  State,  in  the  region  of 
the  Mojave  Desert.  Mr.  C.  R.  Orcutt,  of  San  Diego,  describes  the  opal 
as  occurring  in  large  quantities  in  a  porphyritic  rock.  Most  of  that 
which  he  had  seen  is  chalcedonic,  but  some  true  precious  opal  has  been 
found,  and  good  stones  have  been  cut  from  it.  The  locality  is  in  San 
Bernardino  County,  some  25  miles  northwest  of  Barstow.  Here,  opal 
of  various  colors,  some  almost  amber-yellow,  and  some — though  not 
very  much — of  the  precious  and  fire  opal,  occurs  in  seams,  veins,  and 
pockets,  in  what  is  called  an  indurated  clay,  by  a  more  recent  describer, 
but  is  doubtless  a  decomposed  igneous  rock.  The  deposit  is  about  half 
a  mile  wide  and  two  miles  long,  dipping  rather  steeply,  with  an  overlying 
tufa,  and  probably  resting  upon  granite  beneath.  The  locality  is  sit- 
uated in  a  branch  of  Black's  Cation  to  the  east  of  the  main  canon.  On 
the  surface  are  found  large  deposits  of  what  is  called  "semi-opal,"  a 
stone  which  resembles  the  genuine  opal,  but  has  not  its  beauty.  The 
real  opals  are  found  at  a  little  distance  from  the  surface  and  resemble 
very  much  the  Australian  opals.  J.  C.  Reed  and  associates,  of  San 
Bernardino,  are  the  owners.  This  locality  may  prove  valuable  when 
more  fully  developed. 

A  beautiful  yellow  opal,  without  fire,  and  more  resembling  amber, 
was  noted  in  1895,  by  Mr.  M.  Braverman,  at  the  chrysoprase  locality  at 
Yokohl,  near  Visalia,  in  Tulare  County.  This  might  make  an  attract- 
ive semi-precious  stone,  if  procurable  in  any  quantity.  He  also  found 
a  beautiful  green  variety,  for  which  he  proposed  the  name  of  chryso- 
prase opal,  or  chrysopal,  at  the  chrysoprase  mine  near  Lindsay,  in  the 
same  county. 

Rich  white  opals,  but  with  no  fire,  were  described  as  long  ago  as  1886, 
by  Prof.  William  P.  Blake,  from  near  Mokelumne  Hill,  Calaveras 
County.  They  were  found  loose  in  a  gravel  stratum,  345  feet  deep  in  a 
shaft  sunk-  in  Chile  Gulch,  in  Stockton  Hill;  the  pieces  ranged  up  to 
the  size  of  a  walnut,  and  were  at  first  supposed  to  have  real  value.  A 
similar  variety  occurs  with  magn«site  in  Alameda  County  and  at  some 
other  points^  but  is  of  little  importance. 

In  San  Bernardino  County,  milky  opal  was  reported  by  Mr.  Dwight 
Whiting,  in  1897,  in  a  narrow  seam  of  sandstone,  a  little  east  of  the 
N.E.  i  of  Sec.  24,  T.  1  S.,  R.  13  W.,  San  Bernardino  base  and 
meridian. 

The  peculiar,  glassy,  transparent  variety  of  opal  known  as  hyalite  has 
been  found  in  Lake  County,  in  some  abundance,  by  Mr.  H.  H.  Myer, 
and  is  also  reported  as  occurring  with  semi-opal,  about  30  miles  south 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNL\.  77 

of   Mount  Diablo,  in  the  range  of   that  name.     It  is   an   interesting 
variety,  but  not  capable  of  any  particular  use  in  the  arts. 

Silicifled  and  Opalized  Wood.— Silicified  wood,  which  is  variously 
known  as  agatized  wood  and  wood  opal,  is  found  in  abundance  in  Cali- 
fornia. The  ancient  gold-bearing  gravels,  overlain  by  a  capping  of  lava 
or  tufa,  elsewhere  described,  frequently  contain  trunks  and  branches  of 
trees  that  have  been  permeated  by  silicious  waters  and  thus  fossilized. 
In  some  cases  the  replacing  material  is  opal  silica;  and  very  interesting 
gradations  in  the  process  of  change  can  be  seen,  even  in  parts  of  the 
same  specimen.  Pieces  from  these  "sub-lava"  gravels  from  Nevada 
County  (e.  g.)  will  show  parts  completely  silicified,  but  opaque  and 
pale-colored,  and  others  entirely  altered  to  opal  silica,  of  various  shades 
of  translucent  brown.  These  logs  and  fragments  represent  trees  that 
grew  on  the  banks  of  the  ancient  streams,  before  the  lava  or  tufa  flowed 
into  the  valleys  and  filled  them,  and  in  some  instances  they  are  even 
found  still  standing  erect. 

Of  the  manner  of  this  remarkable  change.  Prof.  Joseph  Le  Conte* 
says:  "In  a  good  specimen  of  petrified  wood  not  only  the  external 
form  of  the  trunk,  not  only  the  general  structure  of  the  stem — pith,  wood, 
and  bark — not  only  the  radiating  silver-grain  and  the  concentric  rings 
of  growth  are  discernible,  but  even  the  microscopic  cellular  structure  of 
the  wood  and  the  exquisite  sculpturings  of  the  cell-walls  themselves  are 
perfectly  preserved,  so  that  the  kind  of  wood  may  often  be  determined 
by  the  microscope  with  the  utmost  certainty,  yet  not  one  particle  of  the 
organic  matter  of  the  wood  remains.  It  has  been  entirely  replaced  by 
mineral  matter,  usually  some  form  of  silica." 

The  general  theory  of  petrifaction  is  as  follows:  When  wood  is  soaked 
in  a  strong  solution  of  iron  sulphate  (copperas),  then  dried,  and  the 
same  process  repeated  until  the  wood  is  highly  charged  with  this  solu- 
tion, and  then  burned,  the  structure  of  the  wood  will  be  preserved  in 
the  peroxide  of  iron  that  remains;  also  it  is  well  known  that  the  smallest 
fissures  and  cavities  in  rocks  are  speedily  filled  by  infiltrating  waters 
with  mineral  matters;  hence  wood  buried  in  soil  soaked  with  some 
petrifying  material  becomes  highly  charged  with  the  same  and  the  cells 
filled  with  the  infiltrating  material,  so  that  when  the  wood  decays  the 
petrifying  material  is  left,  retaining  the  structure  of  the  wood.  Fur- 
thermore, as  each  particle  of  organic  matter  passes  away  by  decay,  a 
particle  of  mineral  matter  takes  its  place,  until  finally  all  of  the  organic 
matter  is  replaced.  The  process  of  petrifaction  is  therefore  one  of  sub- 
stitution as  well  as  of  interstitial  filling.  From  the  different  nature  of 
the  process  in  the  two  cases,  it  happens  that  the  interstitial  filling 
always  differs,  either  in  chemical  composition  or  in  color,  from  the  sub- 

*Elements  of  Geology,  p.  192. 


78 


GEMS.    JKWEI-ERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    0I<^    CALIFORNIA. 


stitiiting  material.     Thus  the  structure  remains  visible,  although  th(> 
mass  is  solid. 

Agatized  wood  in  large  (quantities,  consisting  of  trees  from  12  to  35 
feet  in  length  and  fporn  18  inches  to  2  feet  in  diameter,  has  been  obtained 
near  Calistoga,  in  Napa  County;  and  in  the  hydraulic  mines  of  Cali- 
fornia, at  many  points,  large  and  very  beautiful  masses  of  opalized 
wood,  of  fine  brown,  yellow  and  black  colors,  are  frequently  found. 

ALBITE-FELDSPAR. 

Aventurine.     Moonstone.     Peristerite. 

H.=  6.  G.=  2.62.  Luster  vitreous,  often  pearly  on  cleavage  surface. 
Color  white,  also  bluish,  grayish,  reddish,  and  greenish;  occasionally 


ILL.  Xo.  21.     MOONSTONE  BEACH,  CATALINA  ISLAND,  LOS  ANGELES  COUNTY 

having  a  bluish  chatoyancy  or  play  of  colors.  Silica,  68.7;  alumina, 
19.5;  soda;  11.8. 

Albite  (soda  feldspar)  is  a  constituent  of  many  crystalline  rocks, 
often  associated  with  common  or  potash  feldspar  (orthoclase)  in  granite 
and  pegmatite,  and  frequently  in  syenite,  greenstone,  and  the  crystal- 
line schists.  The  most  common  occurrences  are  in  veins  or  cavities  in 
granite  or  granitoid  rocks.  Found  in  Calaveras,  Inyo,  Marin,  Mono, 
Riverside,  San  Bernardino,  and  San  Diego  counties. 

Both  albite  and  orthoclase  feldspar  are  especially  conspicuous  in  the 
dikes  or  veins  of  pegmatite  that  traverse  the  granite  and  diorite  rocks 
of  San  Diego  and  Riverside  counties,  and  that  carry  the  gem-minerals 
of  that   region.     They  constitute  the  greater    part  of  the    pegmatite, 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV. 


79 


together  with  quartz,  and  are  often  finely  crystallized.  The  albite  in 
some  instances  appears  with  the  tourmalines,  etc.,  in  the  pockets,  in 
beautiful  transparent  crystals;  and  the  orthoclase  at  times  is  found  in 
crystals  of  great  size;  some  of  these  at  Mesa  Grande  are  penetrated 
with  fine  prisms  of  rubellite  or  other  colored  tourmaline. 

The  use  of  albite  for  gem  purposes  is  practically  restricted  to  those 
kinds  showing  a  bluish  opalescence  or  play  of  colors,  an  aventurine 
effect,  or  a  moonstone  effect  when  cut  en  cabochon. 

Peristerite  is  a  whitish,  adularia-like  albite,  presenting  a  bluish 
chatoyancy  usually  more  or  less  mixed  with  pale  green  and  yellow,  the 
play  of  colors  resembling  that  on  the  neck  of  a  pigeon. 

Aventurine  is  a  grayish-white  to  reddish-gray  albite,  with  internal 
fire-like  refiections  proceeding  from  minute  inclusions,  disseminated 
crystals. 

Moonstone  is  a  semi-transparent  albite,  having  a  chatoyant  reflection 
resembling  that  of  a  cat's-eye,  or  an  opaque  pearly-white  variety  with  a 
bluish  opalescence.  The  so-called  moonstones  of  Santa  Catalina  island, 
gathered  on  the  "  Moonstone  Beach,"  are  not  albite,  however,  but  nodules 
of  translucent  quartz.  (See  p.  72.)  Minute  crystals  of  the  adularia 
variety  of  moonstone  with  beautiful  blue  reflections,  occurring  in  a  vol- 
canic (rhyolite)  rock,  were  found  recently  at  Rialto,  in  the  Funeral 
Mountains,  in  Inyo  County,  near  the  Nevada  line.  They  are  of  won- 
derful beauty,  but  are  valueless  on  account  of  their  small  size.  They 
were  supposed  to  be  opals  at  first  by  many  collectors  who  distributed 
them.* 

It  can  hardly  be  said  that  any  gem  material  of  the  species  albite  is 
known  in  California,  although  many  interesting  specimens  have  been 
found. 

ORTHOCLASE— FELDSPAR* 

H.^6.     G.  =  2.5-2.7.     Silica,  64.7;  alumina,  18.4;  potash,  16.9. 

Orthoclase  (potash  feldspar)  has  already  been  referred  to  in  connec- 
tion with  albite.  Colors  white  to  various  shades  of  cream,  gray,  flesh- 
color  and  reddish,  rarely  green  or  brown.  The  only  form  in  which  it 
occurs  in  California,  that  is  capable  of  ornamental  use,  is  that  of 

Graphic  Granite. — Graphic  granite,  or  Hebrew  Stone,  appears  at 
Pala,  San  Diego  County,  at  the  famous  rubellite  and  lepidolite  mine. 
Large  masses  of  this  peculiar  rock,  consisting  of  quartz  and  orthoclase 
so  intergrown  as  to  present  the  appearance  of  Hebrew  writing,  are  found 
here  as  a  phase  of  a  large  pegmatite  dike.  It  is  also  found  more  or  less 
at  all  the  gem  mines  in  the  pegmatite  veins  of  the  San  Diego-Riverside 

"  r.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  1903,  p.  44  (reprint). 


I 


80  GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNIA. 

district,  and  is  known  among  the  miners  as  "  grapliic-spar."  When  it 
exists  in  compact  masses  of  uniform  texture,  it  is  capable  of  use  as  an 
ornamental  stone,  taking  a  fine  polish,  with  delicate  tints  and  curious 
pattern.  Vases  and  other  art  objects  that  are  very  handsome  are  made 
of  this  material  in  Russia. 

LABRADORITE* 

H.=  6.  G.=  2.72.  Color  gray,  brown,  or  greenish.  Labradorite  is 
a  lime-soda  feldspar,  containing  silica,  53.1;  alumina,  30.1;  lime,  12.3; 
soda,  4.5. 

The  cleavable  kinds  often  show  a  magnificent  play  of  colors  in  which 
blue  and  green  predominate,  while  yellow,  red,  pearl-gray,  orange  and 
amber  are  apparent.  The  mineral  takes  high  polish  and  is  then  very 
handsome. 

Observed  in  Mariposa  County  in  Yosemite  Park,  and  in  San  Ber- 
nardino County  near  Lytic  Creek. 

Mr.  W.  H.  Trenchard,  in  a  recent  communication  to  the  writer,  states 
that  labradorite  occurs  in  the  granitic  intrusions  of  the  entire  gem- 
bearing  district  of  southern  California,  with  orthoclase  and  oligoclase 
feldspars. 

DIOPSIDE* 

H.=  6.  G.=  3.2-3.38.  Luster  vitreous.  Color  ranging  from  white 
through  several  shades  of  green  to  dark  green,  and  even  nearly  black. 
Silica,  55.6;  lime,  25.9;  magnesia,  18.5.     It  is  a  variety  of  pyroxene. 

Diopside  is  occasionally  cut  as  a  gem.  Pyroxene  is  a  common  min- 
eral in  serpentine  and  eruptive  rocks;  the  variety  diopside  occurs  in 
limestones  and  serpentines.  It  is  observed  in  El  Dorado  County,  in 
fine  dark  green  crystals  near  Mud  Springs;  and  in  fine  crystals  at  the 
Cosumnes  copper  mine. 

ENSTATITE, 

Bronzite.     Hypersthene, 

Enstatite. — H.=  5.5.  G.=  3.10-3.13.  Color  yellowish,  grayish,  and 
greenish  white.     Luster  vitreous  or  pearly.     Silica,  60;  magnesia,  40. 

BPOnzite. — H.  =  5.5.  G.  =  3.1-3.3.  Color  grayish  to  olive-green  and 
brown.     Part  of  the  magnesia  of  the  enstatite  is  replaced  by  iron. 

Hypersthene. — H.  =  6.  G.  =  3.4-3.5.  Color  dark,  brownish  green, 
grayish  black,  greenish  black,  pinchbeck  brown. 

These  minerals  are  all  orthorhombic  pyroxenes,  and    when  cut  en 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNLV.  81 

cabochon  across  the  fibers,  they  all  afford  the  cat's-eye  effect.  They  are 
common  constituents  of  peridotites  and  serpentines. 

Contra  Costa  County. — Bronzite  at  Mount  Diablo. 

San  Franclsco  County. — Bronzite  at  Fort  Point  and  near  to  Orphan 
Asylum. 

KUNZITE-SPODUMENE,- 

H..=  7-7i  G.  =  3.19.  SiO.=  64.5;  Al,0,  =  27.4;  Li.O  =  8.4.  Sili- 
cate of  alumina  and  lithia. 

A  most  remarkable  discovery  of  transparent  lilac-colored  and  pale 
pink  to  white  spodumene  has  lately  been  made  in  California.  The 
crystals  were  obtained  close  to  a  deposit  of  colored  tourmaline,  itself 
of  notable  interest,  on  Pala  Chief  Mountain,  a  mile  and  a  half  north- 
east from  Pala,  in  San  Diego  County.  This  new  discovery  is  but  half  a 
mile  northeast  from  the  celebrated  rubellite  and  lepidolite  locality f  on 
Pala  ]\Iountain,  where  recent  developments  have  brought  to  light 
immense  quantities  of  amblygonite — this  latter  species  occurring  by 
the  ton,  while  the  lepidolite  is  estimated  by  the  thousand  tons.  The 
locality  is  thus  unecpialed  in  the  world  for  its  abundance  of  lithia 
minerals. 

Spodumene  has  long  been  known  to  mineralogists,  but  only  within 
recent  years  has  it  been  ranked  among  gem-minerals.  It  is  a  silicate 
of  alumina  and  lithia,  rather  complex  in  constitution  and  peculiarly 
liable  to  alteration,  the  first  effect  of  which  is  to  destroy-  its  transpar- 
ency, so  that  most  of  the  spodumene  found  is  opaque  and  of  little  or  no 
beauty.  In  this  condition  it  is  somewhat  abundant  at  several  localities 
in  New  England  and  also  in  Pennington  County,  South  Dakota,  the 
crystals  often  being  very  large,  but  dull  and  unattractive.  It  began  to 
be  recognized,  however,  some  twenty-five  years  ago,  that  all  these 
crystals  had  undergone  alteration  and  must  originally  have  been  very 
beautiful.  The  change  had  proceeded  from  without  inward,  and  at  the 
center  were  found  portions  that  still  retained  the  color  and  transpar- 
ency that  once  belonged  to  the  whole.     Even  these  remnants,  however, 

*(1)  "A  New  Lilac-Colored  Si)oclumene  from  Pala,  California,"  bv  George  Frederick 
Kunz,  Am.  J.  Sci.,  Vol.  XVI,  September,  1903,  pp.  264-267. 

(2)  "Kunzite:  A  Xew  Gem,"  bv  Charles  Baskerville,  Science  (N.  S.),  Vol.  XVIII, 
September  4,  1903,  pp.  303-304. 

(3)  "Spodumene  from  San  Diego  County,  Calif.,"  by  Waldemar  T.  Schaller,  Bull. 
Dept.  GeoL,  Univ.  of  California,  Vol.  Ill,  Xb.  13,  September,  1903,  pp.  265-275. 

(4)  "The  Lilac-Colored  Spodumene  (Kunzite)  from  California,"  Am.  J.  Sci.,  Vol. 
XVI,  October,  1903,  p.  335,  with  remarks  on  Action  of  Radivim  on  Kunzite,  by  Sir 
William  Crookes. 

(5)  George  F.  Kunz,  X.  Y.  Acad.  Sciences,  "On  the  Action  of  Radium,"  etc.;  Janu- 
ary 4,  1904. 

(6)  "Gem-minerals  of  Southern  California."  G.  F.  Kunz,  Science  (N.  S.),  Vol.  XIX, 
p.  472,  January  15,  1904,  pp.  107-108. 

tG.  F.  Kunz,  Mineral  Resotirces  of  the  United  States,  Washington,  D.  C.  (reprint), 
1893,  p.  17;  1899,  p.  38;  1901,  p.  31. 

6 — MB 


82  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,    of    CALIFORNIA. 

were  so  fissured  and  marred  that  they  could  hardly  be  used  for  gems; 
but  they  indicated  a  lost  elegance  that  led  the  writer  to  apply  to  spodu- 
mene  the  expression  "a  defunct  gem."  Since  then,  however,  it  has 
been  found  in  the  unaltered  state  and  in  several  colors  at  two  or  three 
localities,  and  has  come  into  recognition  as  an  interesting  and  beautiful 
gem-stone. 

The  name  spodumene  is  from  the  Greek  spodos,  ashes,  from  the  dull 
whitish  color  of  most  of  the  altered  crystals.  In  Europe  the  mineral  is 
also  frequently  called  triphane.  A  transparent  yellow  variety  is  known 
from  Minas  Geraes,  Brazil,  and  these  specimens  have  been  to  some 
extent  cut  into  gems.  In  1881,  Mr.  W.  E.  Hidden  discovered  numerous 
clear,  bright  green  crystals  at  Stony  Point,  Alexander  County,  North 
Carolina,  which  were  found  in  seeking  for  emeralds.  Their  real  char- 
acter was  not  recognized  at  first,  and  they  were  supposed  to  be  cyanite 
or  diopside;  but  an  analysis  by  Dr.  J.  Lawrence  Smith,  of  Louisville, 
Ky.,  showed  them  to  be  spodumene.  He  proposed  for  this  new  variety 
the  name  of  hiddenite,  which  it  has  since  borne,  and  it  has  also  been 
called  lithia  emerald.  This  discovery  excited  much  interest,  and  the 
new  and  beautiful  American  gem  at  once  came  into  favor.  The  yield, 
however,  was  limited  in  amount,  and  for  several  years  past,  because  of 
litigation  and  from  other  causes,  the  mine  has  not  been  worked. 

The  green  hiddenite  spodumenes,  although  extremely  beautiful,  were 
small;  but  the  California  crystals  are  of  noble  size,  as  well  as  very 
attractive  in  their  color  tones,  varying  from  rich  rosy  lilac  when  found 
at  some  depth,  to  pale  or  almost  colorless  nearer  the  surface — doubtless 
due  to  weathering  or  the  action  of  sunlight — in  striking  contrast  to  the 
rich  deep  pink-purple  of  those  lower  down. 

These  spodumenes  are  of  remarkable  size,  transparency,  and  beauty. 
The  following  are  the  weights  and  dimensions  of  seven  of  the  principal 
crystals: 

Weight,  Weight,  Dimensions, 

grams.  oz.  troy.  centimeters. 

No.  1 528.7  17.1  17  x  11  x  1 

No.  2 528.7  17.1  22  x   8    x  1.5 

No.  3 297.0  9.55  1!»  x  5.5  x  1.5 

No.  4 256.6  8.25  23x4    x^ 

No.  5 340.5  10.95  13  x  6    x  2.52 

No.  6 239.5  7.70  18  x  4    x  2 

No.  7 1000.0  31.0  18  X  8    x  3  ' 

They  are  extraordinary  objects  to  the  eye  of  the  mineralogist.  To 
see  flat  spodumenes  of  characteristic  form,  as  large  as  a  man's  hand, 
but  with  bright  luster  and  perfect  transparency,  and  of  this  delicate 
pink-amethystine  tint,  is  a  novel  and  unlooked-for  experience,  as  all 
the  large  crystals  of  this  mineral  ever  before  seen  were  dull  grayish 
white,  and  perfectly  opaque.  At  Branchville,  Conn.,  some  of  the  very 
large  spodumene  crystals,  on  being  broken,  were  found  to  have  remnants 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIF0RNL4.  83 

at  their  center,  that  retained  some  transparency  and  an  amethystine 
color — just  enough  to  indicate  something  of  what  their  former  beauty 
had  been.  The  same  mineral  has  now  been  found  in  its  unaltered  state, 
and  the  discovery  is  of  great  interest.  Prof.  Charles  Baskerville,  of  the 
University  of  North  Carolina,  who  has  from  the  first  been  engaged  in 
important  studies  on  these  specimens,  has  proposed  for  this  lilac  variety 
the  name  of  kunzite,*  after  the  writer,  who  was  the  first  to  determine 
it  as  spodumene. 

The  chemical  composition  of  these  specimens  has  been  carefully 
determined  by  two  independent  authorities.  The  results  appear  in  the 
analyses  here  given,  of  which  No.  I  is  by  Dr.  Waldemar  T.  Schaller,f 
of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  and  No.  II  by  Prof.  Charles  Baskerville 
and  Mr.  R.  0.  E.  Davis,  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina  :;|; 

I.  IL 

SiO, - 64.42  64.05 

AUOa 27.32  27.30 

MiiaOj .15  

MnO ----  .11 

CaO ----  .80 

ZnO ---  .44 

NiO ----  .06 

LiaO 7.20  6.88 

NajO  .39  .30 

KjO .03  .06 

Ign --.  .15 

Totals 99.51  1W.15 

Occurrence. — Soon  after  the  first  announcement  of  this  remarkable 
discovery,  the  locality  was  visited  and  examined  by  Dr.  W.  T.  Schaller, 
then  of  the  geological  department  of  the  University  of  California.  In 
his  report  he  describes  the  occurrence  as  follows  :§ 

"The  formation  in  which  these  fine  crystals  are  found  at  the  Pala 
locality  consists  of  a  pegmatite  dike,  dipping  westerly  at  a  low  angle, 
perhaps  20*^.  It  is  more  or  less  broken,  and  as  a  whole  seems  to  form 
the  surface  of  much  of  the  slope  of  the  hill  on  which  it  occurs.  The 
dike  is  rather  broad,  but  irregular  in  its  present  shape,  and  has  a 
thickness  probably  of  not  more  than  thirty  feet.  So  far  as  the  mining 
developments  have  shown,  only  a  small  portion  of  the  dike  is  rich  in 
lithia  minerals.  Ordinarily,  the  dike  is  a  coarse  muscovite  granite,  the 
orthoclase  and  quartz  predominating,  containing  many  rounded  prisms 
of  black  tourmaline,  with  broken  ends.  Lepidolite  occasionally  seems 
to  replace  the  muscovite  and  when  it  does,  red,  blue,  and  green  tour- 
malines replace  the  black  variety.     It  is  with  these  gem-tourmalines 

*  Science  (N.  S.),  Vol.  XVIII,  No.  304,  September  4,  1903,  p.  303. 
+  Bull.  Dept.  Geol.  Univ.  Cal.,  Vol.  Ill,  Sept.,  1903,  pp.  265-275. 
J  Am.  J.  Sci.  (4),  Vol.  XVIII,  July,  1903. 
§  Loc.  cit. 


I 


84  GEMS,    JEWEI.ERS'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 

that  the  spodumene  occurs.  While  the  tourmaline  and  lepidolite  are 
frequently  inclosed  in  the  quartz  and  feldspar,  no  such  inclusions  of 
spodumene  have  been  found.  The  latter  mineral  always  occurs  asso- 
ciated with  the  other  minerals,  but  never  penetrating  them  or  pene- 
trated by  them.  It  occurs  in  pockets,  and  these  facts  seem  to  indicate 
that  the  formation  of  the  spodumene  is  later  and  not  coincident,  in  time 
of  formation,  with  the  tourmalines  and  with  the  dike.  The  dike  cuts 
across  the  large  intrusion  of  dark  rock  occurring  at  Pala  and  briefly 
mentioned  by  Dr.  H.  W.  Fairbanks.*  This  large  body  of  dark  rock, 
several  miles  across,  is  surrounded  on  all  sides  by  granite.  The  dark 
rock  forming  the  foot-wall  of  the  dike  in  which  the  spodumene  occurs 
is  a  diorite,  consisting  of  hornblende,  a  plagioclase,  and  (subordinate) 
orthoclase  with  accessory  magnetite  and  apatite." 

It  will  be  seen  by  comparing  this  account  with  the  general  intro- 
ductory statement  already  given,  of  the  geological  character  of  the  San 
Diego-Riverside  lithia  and  gem  region,  that  the  features  here  are  those 
characteristic  of  most  of  the  mines  referred  to,  where  gem-tourmalines 
and  other  rare  and  interesting  species  occur.  The  kunzite  variety  of 
spodumene  is  now  found  at  several  points  in  San  Diego  and  Riverside 
counties  in  connection  with  the  richly  colored  tourmalines.  Although 
this  particular  locality  on  Pala  Chief  Mountain  is  the  most  prominent 
one,  and  has  yielded  most  of  the  fine  material,  yet  it  was  not  the  first 
at  which  kunzite  Avas  met  with.  Specimens  of  this  mineral  first 
reached  the  writer  and  were  identified,  in  December,  1902,  through 
Messrs.  Tiffany  &  Co.,  from  Mr.  Frederick  M.  Sickler,  who  thought  them 
perhaps  a  variety  of  tourmaline.  Their  exact  locality  was  not  given. 
In  August,  1903,  he  announced  that  they  came  from  the  White  Queen 
mine,  near  Pala.  The  crystals,  though  much  smaller  in  size,  are  similar 
to  those  obtained  soon  afterwards  from  the  Pala  Chief. 

Mr.  Sickler,  an  explorer  long  familiar  with  the  region,  claims  to  have 
been  the  original  discoverer  of  this  mineral  some  years  before,  jointly 
with  his  father,  Mr.  M.  M.  Sickler;  but  its  composition  was  not  known, 
and  from  its  association  with  tourmaline  it  was  regarded  as  a  peculiar 
variety  of  that  species,  although  with  some  question  if  it  were  not  a  new 
mineral.  Mr.  Sickler  visited  Los  Angeles  in  the  summer  of  1902,  and 
tried  in  every  way  to  find  out  from  jewelers,  mineralogists,  and  libra- 
ries, what  the  crystals  might  be,  but  without  success.  His  discovery  of 
the  mineral,  however,  at  the  White  Queen  mine,  on  the  ridge  east  of 
the  Pala  Chief,  now  known  as  Heriart  Mountain,  seems  to  be  clearly 
entitled  to  priority. 

During  1902  and  1903,  much  exploration  and  prospecting  were 
carried  on  in  this  section  by  two  Basque  Frenchmen,  Bernardo  Heriart 
and   Pedro  Peiletch,  as  well  as  by  the  Messrs.  Sickler,  father  and  son; 

*  Eleventh  Report  State  Mineralogist  (Gal.). 


GEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS;,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 


85 


and  several  claims  were  located  by  them,  both  jointly  and  separately, 
at  points  where  kunzite  and  other  interesting  associated  minerals 
were  found.  Most  of  these  were  on  the  eastern  ridge,  named  after 
Bernardo  Heriart;  but  the  most  important  of  all  was  the  great  kunzite 


ILL.  No.  22.     KUNZITE  CRYSTAL,  SICKLER  MINES,  HERIART 
MOUNTAIN,  PALA,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY. 

and  tourmaline  mine  on  Pala  Chief  Mountain,  which  was  located  in 
May,  1903,  by  the  two  Frenchmen,  with  Messrs.  John  Giddens  and 
Frank  A.  Salmons.  The  latter  has  been  especially  active  in  the  subse- 
quent development  of  this  mine,  which  has  furnished  most  of  the  fine 
kunzite  that  has  thus  far  been  placed  on  the  market.     The  actual  dis- 


I 


86  GEMS^    jewelers'   materials,   etc...    of    CALIFORNIA. 

covery  of  this  kunzite  mine  must  probably  be  credited  to  Heriart  and 
Peiletch,  early  in  1903;  although,  as  above  stated,  Mr.  Sickler  had  found 
the  mineral  previously  at  the  White  Queen  mine.  It  is  also  claimed 
that  they  and  Mr.  Sickler  had  located  another  kunzite  claim  some 
months  before,  on  Heriart  Mountain;  this  may  be  the  same  as  the 
White  Queen,  or  the  Caterina. 

On  Heriart  Mountain,  which  appears  to  be  a  foothill  or  spur  of 
Agua  Tibia  Mountain,  there  are  numerous  dikes  instead  of  one  or  two 
great  ones,  as  on  the  Pala  ridges.  Many  outcrops  and  openings  show 
lepidolite,  and  several  show  kunzite  at  various  points  on  the  ends  and 
on  both  sides  of  the  ridge.  Eleven  claims  are  located  and  more  or  less 
developed.     These  are  the  following:* 

San  Pedro  claim,  north  end;  by  Bernardo  Heriart  and  Pedro  Peiletch; 
lepidolite  and  gem-spodumene. 

Sempe  claim,  crest  and  west  slope;  by  the  same;  lepidolite,  beryl, 
and  colored  tourmaline. 

Anita  claim,  west  side;  Heriart  and  his  partner;  lepidolite. 

Caterina  claim,  south  side;  Heriart  and  M.  M.  Sickler;  lepidolite, 
amblygonite,  and  gem-spodumene  at  two  openings. 

El  Molino  claim,  south  side;  F.  M.  and  M.  M.  Sickler;  gem-tour- 
malines. 

Center  Drive  claim,  south  side;  by  the  same;  beryl  and  gem-tour- 
malines. 

White  Queen  claim,  south  side;  F.  M.  Sickler;  lepidolite,  beryl,  and 
spodumene.  This  is  the  locality  of  the  first  kunzite  crystals  that 
reached  the  writer  in  1902,  as  above  mentioned. 

Heriart  claim,  south  and  east  side;  M.  M.  and  F.  M.  Sickler;  lepido- 
lite and  gem-tourmalines. 

Vanderberg  claim,  south  slope;  M.  M.  Sickler;  lepidolite,  beryl,  gem- 
tourmaline,  and  gem-spodumene. 

Nay  lor  claim,  east  slope;  F.  M.  and  M.  M.  Sickler;  lepidolite  and 
gem-spodumene. 

In  addition  to  these  the  Sicklers,  father  and  son,  own  the  Fargo 
claim,  on  the  west  slope,  which  is  promising,  but  hardly  developed. 
They  have  recently  reported  the  finding  of  a  very  fine,  deep-colored 
crystal  of  kunzite,  almost  flawless,  measuring  12.5  by  8  by  3  centi- 
meters, at  one  of  their  newer  claims  on  this  mountain,  20  feet  in  the 
ledge  and  16  feet  from  the  surface. 

In  the  coarse  upper  portion  of  all  these  pegmatite  veins,  a  great 
variety  of  minerals  have  been  developed.  Mr.  Sickler  enumerates  the 
following:  Quartz — ordinary,  milky,  smoky,  rose,  and  amethystine, 
also  hyalite;  orthoclase;  albite;  pyroxene;  hornblende,  green  and  black: 
spodumene — colorless,  straw-yellow,  lilac,  and  green;  beryl — colorless, 

*Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  1903,  p.  942.  ~^ 


GEMS,    JEWT:LERS'    materials,   etc.,    of    CALIFORNIA,  87 

green,  yellow,  and  rose;  garnet;  epidote;  tourmaline — black  and  of 
many  colors;  micas — lepidolite,  muscovite,  biotite,  damonrite,  and 
cookeite;  montmorillonite;  amblygonite;  triphylite;  and  among  the 
metallic  oxides,  hematite;  sulphides,  pyrite  and  molybdenite;  bismuth, 
native  and  the  oxide;  also  apatite,  siderite,  and  columbite. 

The  peculiar  reddish  clayey  substance,  heretofore  called  montmoril- 
lonite, that  occupies  the  cavities  in  which  nearly  all  the  gem-minerals 
are  found,  has  recently  been  shown  to  be  really  a  form  of  halloysite, 
by  Dr.  W.  T.  Schaller.* 

Kunzite  has  also  been  found  in  Riverside  County,  at  the  Fano  mine, 
near  Coahuila,  which  was  located  in  1902  by  Mr.  Bert  Simmons,  and 
for  some  time  bore  his  name.  It  occurs  here  both  pink  and  colorless, 
chiefly,  also  some  reported  as  yellow,  green,  and  blue,  associated  with 
tourmalines  of  fine  deep  blue,  green,  and  other  shades,  beryl,  quartz 
crystals,  lepidolite  and  amblygonite.  The  location  is  about  20  miles 
northeast  from  Pala,  on  a  spur  of  the  San  Jacinto  range,  in  Section  33, 
T.  6  S.,  R.  2  E.,  S.  B.  M. 

The  White  Queen  crystals  (those  that  first  came  to  the  writer)*  are 
usually  smaller  than  those  from  Pala  Chief,  sometimes  perfectly  color- 
less, and  varying  from  half  an  inch  or  less  to  two  inches  in  length  by 
one  inch  in  breadth.  Some  are  elegant  specimens  and  some  could  be 
cut  into  gems.  The  hardness  is  abovit  7.  They  are  perfectly  transparent 
and  remarkably  free  from  flaws,  and  possess  the  apodumene  pleochroism 
very  markedly.  Looked  at  transversely,  the  lilac  ones  are  nearly 
colorless,  or  faintly  pink;  but  longitudinally  they  present  a  rich  pale 
lavender  color,  almost  amethystine.  The  characteristic  etching  is  also 
well  developed,  especially  on  the  pyramidal  faces;  but  the  surfaces  are 
dull,  and  are  etched  all  over  as  if  wdth  a  solvent. 

Two  crystals,  the  largest  and  another  one,  from  the  first  lot  received, 
gave  the  following  measurements  : 

(a)  53  mm.  (2g  in.)  and  35  mm.  (If  in.). 
(6)  37  mm.  (U  in.)  and  27  mm.  (1^  in.), 
(c)     11  mm.  (^  in.)  and  15  mm.  (  fj  in.). 

The  specific  gravity  determined  on  three  crystals  was  found  to  be 
3.183.t 

Weight,  grains.  Specific  Gravity. 

Spodumene:     Lavender 20.393  3.179 

Yellow-white '. 8.359  3.185 

Lavender 10.872  3.187 

Since  then,  larger  crystals  have  been  found,  some  comparable  to  those 
from  the  Pala  Chief,  one  in  particular  weighing  24  ounces,  and  many 
gems  from  this  district  have  been  cut  in  San  Diego.  The  product  of  the 
Pala  Chief  mine  is  all  sent  to  New  York. 

*  Am.  J.  Sci.  (4),  Vol.  XVII,  March,  1904,  p.  191. 
+  Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  1903,  pp.  939,940. 


88  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,    op    CALIFORNIA. 

By  a  mere  coincidence,  just  at  the  time  Avhen  this  mineral  had  come 
into  notice,  in  the  summer  and  autumn  of  1903,  an  extended  investi- 
gation on  certain  optical  properties  of  the  gem-minerals  in  the  Tiffany- 
Morgan  and  Bement  collections  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural 
History,  New  York,  had  been  undertaken  jointly  by  the  writer  and 
Prof.  Charles  Baskerville,  of  the  University  of  North  Carolina,  and 
was  then  in  progress.  This  new  mineral,  just  announced,  proved  to 
have  specially  marked  and  interesting  peculiarities  in  connection  with 
these  experiments.  Dr.  Baskerville  published  a  paper  in  relation  to 
his  observations,  in  the  first  of  which  he  proposed  to  name  this  variety 
of  spodumene  after  the  writer,  and  described  the  special  properties 
which  he  had  observed  in  it.*  In  a  second  paper  is  given  a  fuller 
account  of  the  subject,  with  the  results  of  further  studies,  conducted 
with  the  writer,  f 

From  this  we  quote:  "In  a  recent  investigation  made  by  us  on  the 
behavior  of  a  large  number  of  minerals  and  gems  with  various  forms 
of  radiant  energy,  including  the  emanations,  as  well  as  on  the  produc- 
tion of  luminescence  in  some  cases  b}^  other  physical  means,  the  new 
variety  of  spodumene,  designated  kunzite,  was  found  to  be  peculiarly 
sensitive,  and  to  exhibit  some  remarkable  properties. 

"  In  general,  as  shown  by  these  investigations,  the  gem-minerals 
were  little  affected  by  ultra-violet  rays;  but  three  species  exhibited  a 
high  degree  of  responsiveness  to  these  and  to  all  forms  of  radio-activity, 
so  far  experimented  with.  .  These  minerals  were  diamonds  of  certain 
kinds;  willemite  (zinc  orthosilicate),  which  in  some  cases  has  been 
used  as  a  gem-stone,  and  kunzite.  The  behavior  of  the  last,  as  noted 
in  various  experiments,  is  unique  and  will  be  briefly  described  here 
by  itself. 

"1.  Attrition  and  Heat. — Kunzite  does  not  become  luminous  by 
attrition,  or  rubbing.  Several  specimens  were  held  on  a  revolving  buff 
cloth  making  three  thousand  revolutions  per  minute,  so  hot  as  to  be 
almost  unbearable  to  the  hand,  and  still  it  failed  to  become  luminous. 
Wollastonite,  willemite,  and  pectolite  are,  however,  very  tribo-lumi- 
nescent. 

"As  to  luminescence  induced  by  heat  alone,  it  was  found  that  kunzite 
does  possess  the  property  of  thermo-luminescence  to  some  extent, 
with  an  orange  tint  and  at  a  low  degree  of  heat." 

It  may  here  be  noted  that  an  observation  made  by  Dr.  W.  T. 
Schaller  indicates  that  kunzite  does  clearly  show  tribo-luminescence  in 
certain  cases. J  He  states  particularly,  as  an  interesting  observation, 
that  on  cutting  a  crystal  with  a  diamond  saw,  it  became  thoroughly 
luminous.     This  result  may  perhaps  have  been  partly  electrical. 

*Science  (N.  S.),  Vol.  XVIII,  1903,  pp.  304  and  769. 
tAm.  J.  Sci.  (4),  Vol.  XVIII,  July,  1904,  pp.  26-28. 
JBull.  Dept.  Geol.  Univ.  Calif.,  Vol.  Ill,  Sept.,  1903,  pp.  265-275. 


NO    '^3      AUTOPRINT  FROM  CRYSTAL  OF  KUNZITE  EXPOSED  TO  THE  X-RAYS  FOR 
10  MINUTES,  AND  EXPOSED  TO  PLATE  FOR  5  MINUTES  (SHmMNG  THE 
EMANATIONS).    (Taken  February  5,  1903,  by  Dr.  H.  G.  Piffard.) 


90  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNLV. 

C'ontinuinj:;  from  the  joint  pai)er; 

'•'2.  Electricity. — The  mineral  assumes  a  static  charge  of  electricity, 
like  to})az,  when  rubbed  with  a  woolen  cloth.  On  exposing  kunzite 
<.n-ystals  of  different  sizes  to  the  passage  of  an  oscillating  current  obtained 
from  large  Helmholtz  machines,  the  entire  crystal  glowed  an  orange- 
pink,  temporarily  losing  the  lilac  color.  A  well-defined,  brilliant  line 
of  light  appeared  through  the  center,  apparently  in  the  path  of  the  cur- 
rent. On  discontinuing  the  current,  the  crystal  gave  the  appearance 
of  a  glowing  coal.  It  was  not  hot,  however,  and  the  phosphorescence 
lasted  for  forty-five  minutes. 

"  Three  large  crystals,  weighing  200,  300  and  400  grams  each,  were 
attached  to  copper  wires  so  that  the  current  passed  in  one  instance 
from  below  up,  and  from  the  other  upwards  across  the  crystal — first 
across  the  prism,  then  parallel  with  the  prism.  In  each  instance  the 
crystals  became  distinctly  luminous,  a  pale  orange-pink,  and  between 
the  two  wires  a  bright  almost  transparent  line  passed  from  one  wire  to 
the  other;  in  reality,  as  if  the  two  elongated  cones  crossed  each  other, 
the  line  of  the  path  being  transparent  at  the  sides,  whereas  the  rest  of 
the  crystals  appeared  translucent.  After  the  exposure  of  two  minutes, 
they  were  laid  upon  photographic  plates  and  in  five  minutes  produced 
a  fine  autoprint,  herewith  shown.  The  crystals  continued  to  glow  for 
forty-five  minutes. 

"  When  a  cut  gem  is  suspended  between  the  two  poles,  it  becomes  an 
intense  orange-pink  color,  glowing  with  wonderful  brilliancy.  The  dis- 
<!harge  seemed  as  if  it  would  tear  the  gem  asunder,  although  actually  it 
was  unaffected. 

"  3.  Ultra-violet  Rays. — These  invisible  rays,  produced  by  sparking  a 
high  voltage  current  between  iron  terminals,  caused  large  crystals  of 
Jkunzite,  white,  pink,  or  lilac,  to  phosphoresce  for  some  minutes.  The 
Avhite  responded  most  readily. 

"4.  Roentgen,  or  X,  Rays. — All  forms  of  kunzite  become  strongly  phos- 
phorescent under  these  rays.  An  exposure  of  half  a  minute  caused 
three  cut  gems  to  glow  first  a  golden  pink,  and  then  white  for  ten  min- 
utes. The  glow  was  visible  through  two  thicknesses  of  white  paper, 
which  was  held  over  it.  A  large  crystal  (2  x  4  x  10  cm.)  excited  for  five 
minutes,  afterwards  affected  a  sensitive  photographic  plate  and  produced 
an  autoprint:  it  rested  directly  on  the  plate,  separated  by  thin  white 
paper,  and  remained  for  ten  minutes  in  a  dark  room  inclosed  in  a 
black  box.*  Another  crystal,  exposed  for  ten  minutes,  was  laid  for 
five  minutes  on  a  sensitive  plate,  f  The  resulting  auto-photograph  was 
clear  and  distinct,  but  presented  a  very  curious  aspect  not  seen  by  the 

*  Science  (N.  S.),  Vol.  XVIII,  1903,  p.  303. 

t  This  was  made  by  Dr.  H.  G.  Piffard,  of  New  York  City,  and  is  shown  of  natural  size 
in  the  accompanying  plate.     (See  page  89.) 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV.  91 

eye — as  of  a  misty  or  feathery  outflow  from  the  side  and  termination  of 
the  crystal,  suggesting  an  actual  picture  of  the  invisible  lines  of  force. 
The  other  varieties  of  spodumene,  both  mineral  material  and  cut  gems, 
failed  to  show  this  property. 

"Although  kunzite  is  so  responsive  and  fluorescent  and  so  beautiful 
upon  exposure  to  the  X-rays,  it  is,  however,  like  all  silicates,  opaque 
to  the  ray  itself.  Four  crystals  weighing  100,  200,  and  400  grams  each, 
were  exposed  to  the  Roentgen  ray  for  two  minutes.  They  became  first 
a  beautiful  rose-orange,  then  assumed  a  white  phosphorescence,  and  at 
the  end  of  forty-five  minutes  there  was  still  a  faint  residual  glow.  Two 
minutes'  exposure  to  the  X-ray  caused  them  to  print  a  perfect  autotype. 
The  glow  in  all  instances  showed  first  a  rose-orange  color,  then  a  pale 
pink,  finally  resolving  into  a  white  fluorescence;  the  autoprint  shows 
the  feathery  outlines  of  light  or  energy  thrown  out  by  the  crystal. 

"5.  Conduct  with  Radium  Preparations. — Exposed  for  a  few  minutes 
to  radium  bromide  with  a  radio-active  strength  of  300,000  and  1,800,000 
(uranium  being  taken  as  unity),  the  mineral  becomes  wonderfully  phos- 
phorescent, the  glow  continuing  persistently  after  the  removal  of  the 
source  of  excitation.  The  bromide  was  confined  in  glass.  Six  hundred 
grams  of  kunzite  crystals  were  thus  excited  with  127  milligrams  of  the 
radium  bromide  in  five  minutes.  The  effect  is  not  produced  instantane- 
ously but  is  cumulative,  and  after  a  few  moments'  exposure  the  mineral 
begins  to  glow,  and  its  phosphorescence  is  pronounced  after  the  removal 
of  the  radio-active  body.  The  luminosity  continued  in  the  dark  for 
some  little  time  after  the  radium  was  taken  away.  No  other  varieties 
of  spodumene  examined,  including  hiddenite,  gave  like  results.  In  this 
respect,  as  with  the  Roentgen  rays,  the  kunzite  variety  stands  by  itself. 

"  When  pulverized  kunzite  is  mixed  with  radium-barium  chloride  of 
240  activity  or  carbonate  of  lower  activity,  the  mixed  powder  becomes 
luminous  and  apparently  remains  so  permanently;  i.  e.,  in  several 
months  no  loss  has  been  observed.  The  same  is  the  case  if  pulverized 
wollastonite  or  pectolite  be  used  instead  of  the  kunzite.  When  either 
of  these  mixtures  is  put  in  a  Bologna  flask  and  laid  on  a  heated  metal 
plate  (less  than  red-hot),  the  powder  becomes  incandescent  and  remains 
so  for  a  long  time  after  removal. 

"These  three  minerals  phosphoresce  by  heat  alone,  as  was  mentioned 
above  in  regard  to  kunzite.  Perhaps  this  luminosity  of  the  mixed  pow- 
ders at  the  ordinary  temperature  may  be  accounted  for  in  part  by  the 
evolution  of  heat*  on  the  part  of  the  radium  compounds,  but  there  are 
experimental  reasons  which  cavise  us  to  reject  such  explanation  for  the 
total  effect. 

"The  emanations  of  radium,  the  alpha-vsijs,  according  to  Ruther- 
ford,!  a^re   condensed  at  a   temperature  of  —  130"  to  — 140°  C.     The 

*  P.  Curie  and  Laborde,  Comptes  Rend,,  CXXXVI,  673.  +  Phil.  Mag.,  V,  561. 


92  GEMS,    JE-U^I.ERS'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

enmiKitions  were  driven  from  radium  chloride  l)y  heat  and  condensed 
with  liquid  air  on  a  number  of  kunzite  crystals,  and  no  phosphorescence 
was  observed.  Consequently  kunzite  responds  only  to  the  gamma-rays, 
which  are  believed  to  be  virtually  Roentgen  rays. 

"6.  Actiniuvi. — A  sample  of  the  still  more  rare  and  novel  substance 
discovered  by  Professor  Debierne*  and  received  from  him  through  the 
courtesy  of  Professor  Curie,  was  also  tried  as  to  its  action  upon  kunzite 
and  some  other  minerals.  The  actinium  oxide,  with  an  activity  of 
10,000  according  to  the  uranium  standard,  gave  off  profuse  emanations 
and  affected  diamonds,  kunzite,  and  willemite  in  a  manner  similar  to 
the  radium  salts,  with  quite  as  much  after-continuance.  How^ever,  we 
have  not  tried  the  condensation  of  these  emanations  upon  the  minerals 
by  refrigeration. 

"  The  peculiar  properties  of  the  kunzite  variety  of  spodumene,  which 
have  been  enumerated,  have  not  been  observed  in  any  other  of  the  gems 
or  gem-minerals  that  we  have  examined.  It  is  barely  possible  that  the 
small  content  of  manganese  may  have  much  to  do  with  it,  but  from  our 
present  knowledge  basing  a  chemical  explanation  thereon  is  idle." 

Prof.  William  Crookes,  the  eminent  English  physicist,  conducted 
some  similar  experiments  on  the  behavior  of  kunzite  with  radium  bro- 
mide and  obtained  identical  results,  as  stated  by  him  in  a  letter  to  the 
writer  in  October,  1903. 

Magnificent  series  of  the  finest  crystals  and  large  cut  gems  of  kunzite 
are  in  the  Morgan  collection  in  the  American  Museum  of  Natural  His- 
tory (see  plate),  and  in  the  Morgan  collection  in  the  Musee  d'Histoire 
Naturelle,  Paris.  A  fine  cut  gem  and  fine  crystals  are  also  in  the  British 
Museum,  London. 

Use  of  Kunzite  in  Jewelry.— Kunzite  has  now  been  cut  and  sold  as 
a  gem  for  more  than  a  year,  and  has  been  received  with  much  favor  as 
a  new  and  a  wholly  American  gem.  At  first  it  was  feared  that  it  might 
be  difficult  to  cut,  as  many  specimens,  being  mistaken  for  a  variety  of 
tourmaline,  were  ruined  in  the  attempt  to  cut  them,  because  of  their 
strong  tendency  to  cleavage.  But  the  fact  that  kunzite  spodumene  has  a 
facile  cleavage  in  one  direction,  as  have  topaz  and  diamond,  was  soon 
understood  by  lapidaries  who  were  familiar  with  the  cutting  of  the 
hiddenite  variety  or  of  the  yellow  spodumene  and  topaz  from  Brazil. 

The  result  is  that  there  has  been  no  difficulty  in  having  the  gem  cut 
into  every  form  —  brilliant,  degree-top,  mixed  brilliant,  and  other 
styles — and  of  sizes  weighing  from  1  to  150  carats  each.  In  color  they 
vary  from  almost  white  with  a  faint  pink  tone  through  pink  and  lilac 
pink  into  dark  lilac.  An  English  writer  has  called  it  "peach-blossom." 
The  gem  is  remarkably  brilliant,  no  matter  what  the  color.     It  is  usually 

*Conipt.  Rend.,  CXXIX,  593. 


GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNIA.  93 

perfect  and  free  from  flaws,  and,  when  pink,  is  one  of  the  few  natnral 
stones  of  that  color.  As  a  Ulac  gem  it  is  quite  unique.  The  price  has 
varied  from  $6  to  $20  per  carat,  although  generally  it  has  averaged  one 
third  of  the  latter  figure. 

VESUVIANITE. 

Idocrase.  Californite. 

H.=  6.5.  G.=;  3.35-3.45.  Color  brown  to  green  in  various  shades. 
A  calcium  alumina  silicate.     Fuses  easily  to  a  brown  glass. 

Californite  (Vesuvianite).* — A  discovery  has  been  recently  made  of 
a  mineral  which  promises  well  as  an  addition  to  the  increasing  list  of 
semi-precious  or  ornamental  stones  found  in  the  United  States.  It  is 
not  indeed  a  new  mineral  species,  but  a  compact  massive  variety  of 
vesuvianite  (idocrase).  It  was  first  announced  in  the  report  of  the 
U.  S.  Geological  Survey  for  1901,  by  the  writer,f  as  having  been  found  by 
Dr.  A.  E.  Heighway,  on  land  owned  by  him  on  the  south  fork  of  Indian 
Creek,  12  miles  from  Happy  Camp  and  90  miles  from  Yreka,  in  Siski- 
you County.  Here  a  hard  and  handsome  stone,  varying  from  olive  to 
almost  grass-green,  and  taking  a  fine  polish,  outcrops  for  some  200  feet 
along  a  hillside  about  100  feet  above  the  creek,  and  large  masses  have 
fallen  into  the  bed  of  the  creek  below.  It  was  at  first  supposed  to  be 
jade  (nephrite),  but  proves  upon  analysis  to  be  vesuvianite.  The  fallen 
pieces  were  in  some  cases  as  much  as  five  feet  square  and  two  feet  thick, 
of  excellent  quality  for  polishing,  and  of  varying  shades  of  light  to 
dark  green.     The  associated  rock  is  precious  serpentine. 

This  substance  closely  resembles  a  mineral  from  two  localities  in  the 
Alps,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Piz  Longhin,  in  the  Bergellthal,  and  found 
in  rolled  pieces  in  the  bed  of  the  stream  called  the  Ordlegna,  near 
Casaccia,  in  the  Upper  Engadine.  These  were  at  first  taken  for  jadeite,;]; 
but  were  positively  identified  as  vesuvianite  by  the  analysis  of  Ber- 
werth.§  It  seems  at  first  remarkable  that  the  same  mistake  should 
have  been  made  in  both  cases  as  to  this  massive  vesuvianite,  but  its 
whole  aspect  is  so  jade-like  that  it  is  not  surprising.  The  rich  trans- 
lucent green  color,  fine-grained  sub-splintery  fracture,  and  brilliant 
luster  when  polished  all  strongly  suggest  jade.  The  polished  surface 
shows  minute  pale  streaks  or  flocculi,  which  still  further  heighten  the 
resemblance. 

The  following  analysis  was  made  through  Prof.  F.  W.  Clarke,  Chief 
Chemist  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey,  by  Mr.  George  Steiger,  in  the 
spring. of  the  present  year: 

*N.  Y.  Acad.  Sciences,  October  19,  1903;  N.  Y.  Min.  Club,  October  20,  190.3. 
t  Mineral  Resources  of  the  United  States  (extract),  1901,  p.  30. 
X  Feilenberg,  Jalirb.  Min.,  Vol.  I,  1889,  p.  103. 
§  Ann.  Mus.  Wien,  Vol.  IV,  1889,  p.  87. 


94  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,    op    CALIFORNIA. 

Analysis  of  Vesuvlanlte,  from  Siskiyou  County,  California. 

SiOa : 35.85 

AUO3... 18.35 

CaO 33.51 

FeaOj 1.67 

PeO .39 

MgO 5.43 

MnO .05 

TiOj .10 

P^Og .02 

H2O  (below  100°  C.) .29 

H2O  (above  100°  C.) 4.18 

99.84 

The  analysis  is  essentially  that  of  a  normal  vesuvianite,  though  the 
percentage  of  water  is  unusually  high;  the  lime  and  the  iron  are  below 
the  average;  the  titanium  and  phosphorus  are  exceptional  occurrences. 

The  mineral  is  compact,  extremely  tough,  and  readily  takes  a  high 
polish,  quite  as  beautiful  as  that  of  nephrite  (jade),  with  which  it  was 
at  first  confounded.  The  hardness  is  6.5,  and  the  specific  gravity  (from 
two  determinations),  3.286.  The  luster  is  vitreous,  often  inclining  to 
resinous,  and  the  streak  white.  The  color  is  a  yellow  leek-green,  with 
inclusions  of  a  darker  green,  generally  more  translucent  than  the  sur- 
rounding mass. 

What  appears  to  be  the  same  mineral  has  recently  been  announced 
from  two  other  localities  quite  remote  from  the  first.  One  of  these  was 
reported  by  that  indefatigable  prospector,  Mr.  Max  Braverman,  of 
Visalia,  as  existing  in  Burro  Valley,  in  Fresno  County,  a  mile  and  a 
half  from  Hawkins  school  house,  and  32  miles  east  of  Fresno  City.  The 
material  is  pale  olive-green,  translucent,  with  darker  spots  in  a  paler 
mass.  It  breaks  with  an  uneven  fracture,  slightly  splintery  and  partly 
crystalline,  and  hence  much  resembles  the  Siskiyou  County  material. 

The  other  locality  is  apparently  not  far  from  the  last  mentioned;  it 
is  said  to  be  in  Tulare  County,  near  the  town  of  Selma,  which,  though 
in  Fresno  County,  is  near  the  Tulare  line.  Here  the  mineral  is  of 
richer  color,  at  times  resembling  the  tint  of  apple-green  chrysoprase, 
for  which  it  was  at  first  mistaken. 

The  following  analysis  was   made  of  this  material  by  Mr.  George 

Steiger,    through    Prof.    F.   W.    Clarke,    Chief    Chemist    of   the    U.    S. 

Geological  Survey: 

Analysis  of  "  Californite  "  from  Fresno  County,  California, 

SiO., 36.55 

AI2O3 18.89 

CaO 35.97 

Fe^Os .74 

FeO .74 

MgO 2.33 

CO2 - .91 

H2O  (below  100°  C.) ■- .58 

H2O  (above  100°  C.) 3.42 

100.26 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV.  95 

It  will  be  seen  on  comparing  this  analysis  with  that  of  the  Siskiyou 
County  mineral,  that  they  accord  quite  closely  in  essentials.  In  this 
case  the  carbon  dioxide  and  fluorine  are  exceptional  and  doubtless  due 
to  impvirities,  as  the  titanic  and  phosphoric  oxides  were  in  the  other 
case. 

This  interesting  mineral  exists  in  large  quantity,  and  could  be  cut 
into  a  variety  of  ornaments,  in  the  same  way  as  jade,  nephrite,  and 
chrysoprase.  It  is  a  form  of  vesuvianite  distinctive  enough  to  receive 
a  special  variety  name — which  if  appropriate  and  euphonious,  would 
undoubtedly  aid  the  sale  of  the  stone  in  the  arts.  I  have  therefore 
proposed  for  it  the  name  of  ''Californite.''' 

Vesuvianite  of  gem  quality,  that  is  to  say,  in  transparent  crystals, 
was  found  by  Mr.  W.  H.  Trenchard  as  occurring  near  Jacumba,  San 
Vicente,  and  some  other  points  in  that  part  of  San  Diego  County. 


PECTOLITE, 

H.^5.  G.=^  2.7-2.8.  Color  white.  Usually  fibrous  radiated,  also 
compact  massive.     Silica,  54.2;  lime,  33.8;  soda,  9.3;  water,  2.7. 

During  1887  a  massive  white  pectolite  of  unusually  dense  structure, 
and  susceptible  of  a  high  polish,  was  annoiHiced  by  William  P.  Blake 
as  occurring  in  Tehama  County,  Cal.,  in  masses  of  considerable  size. 
In  a  letter  to  the  writer  he  gives  the  following  description  of  it:*  "It 
occurs  in  a  vein,  and  is  broken  out  in  rough  tabular  masses,  from  two 
to  three  or  more  inches  in  thickness,  but  it  is  reported  that  much  larger 
masses  can  be  obtained.  It  is  exceedingly  tough  and  hard  to  break. 
The  fractured  surfaces  are  irregular,  without  cleavage,  but  have  a  silky 
luster,  and  a  crypto-crystalline  structure  is  exhibited  in  extremely  fine 
inseparable  fibres,  which  are  radial,  curved,  and  interlaced,  and  are, 
perhaps,  embedded  in  a  silicious  magma,  but  the  fibres  constitute  the 
bulk  of  the  mass.  Color  white,  with  a  delicate  shade  of  sea-green; 
translucent.  Exposed  or  weathered  portions  lose  their  porcelain-like 
translucency,  and  become  white  and  somewhat  earthy  in  appearance, 
and  exhibit  the  crypto-fibrous  structure  with  more  distinctness.  Speci- 
mens cut  and  polished  across  the  end  of  a  slab-like  mass  show  on  one 
side  a  narrow  selvage  of  breccia  made  up  of  fragments  of  the  pectolite 
and  of  a  dark-colored  rock,  mixed  and  firmly  cemented  together.  On 
the  opposite  side  or  border  of  the  mass  there  are  distinctly  formed 
parallel  planes  of  concentric  layering,  from  the  surfaces  of  odiich  the 
fibres  diverge.  These  layers  and  the  brecciated  border  opposite  show 
the  vein-like  formation  of  the  mass  between  walls.  Its  hardness  is 
from  6  to  6.5.     It  may  be  found  useful  as  an  ornamental  stone  for 

*George  F.  Kunz,  "Gems  and  Precious  Stones  of  Xorth  America,"  1890,  p.  178. 


96  GEMS,  jewelers'  materials,  etc.,  op  californl\. 

makino;  small  objects,  cui)S,  plates,  handles,  or  for  carving  figures,  or 
inlaid  work." 

Massive  pectolite,  similar  to  the  above,  is  also  found  at  Fort   Point 
San  Francisco,  in  veins  reaching  several  inches  in  diameter.* 


AXINITE* 

H.=  6.5-7.  G.=  o.3.  Luster  highly  vitreous  or  glassy.  Color  clove- 
brown,  plum-blue,  violet,  pearl-gray,  honey-yellow  and  greenish  yellow. 
Strongly  pleochroic. 

A  complex  silicate  of  alumina,  calcium,  and  manganese,  with  some  iron 
and  magnesia,  and  containing  also  from  5  to  6  per  cent  of  boric  acid 
and  1^  per  cent  of  water.     Occasionally  cut  for  ornamental  purposes. 

Inyo  and  San  Bernakdino  Counties. — Axinite  was  found  in  several 
places  in  Death  Valley,  in  the  Funeral  Range  and  Owl  Mountains,  by 
the  State  Mining  Bureau  expedition  of  1902. 

San  Diego  County. — Quite  recently  (1904)  a  locality  has  been  dis- 
covered by  Mr.  Thomas  A.  Freeman,  near  Bonsall,  where  axinite  crystals 
occur  that  are  of  remarkable  beauty;  in  color  they  are  a  smoky  pink, 
or  "  ashes  of  roses  "  tint,  brilliant  and  perfectly  transparent,  and  would 
cut  into  attractive  gems.  The  crystals  are  stated  to  be  quite  abundant, 
occurring  in  pockets,  with  crystallized  quartz.  The  locality  lies  about 
18  niiles  south  of  Pala  and  20  miles  w^est  of  Julian.  No  work  has  been 
done  upon  it  lately;  but  as  axinite  is  a  rare  mineral,  the  occurrence  is 
very  interesting,  and  it  should  be  further  developed. 


JADE, 

A  general  term  applied  to  various  mineral  substances  of  tough,  com- 
pact texture,  and  from  nearly  white  to  a  dark  green  color,  and  even 
nearly  black.  Properly,  its  use  should  be  confined  to  Nephrite  and 
Jadeite,  but  it  is  often  applied  to  certain  forms  of  minerals  more  or  less 
resembling  these,  such  as  sillimanite,  pectolite,  serpentine,  vesuvianite. 

Jadeite. — H.=  6.5-7.  G.=  3.o.  Silicate  of  sodium  and  aluminum. 
Color  apple-green  to  emerald-green,  bluish  green,  leek-green,  greenish 
white  to  nearly  white.  Extremely  tough.  Also  known  as  Chloro- 
vieJanite,  when  dark. 

Nephrite  (or  Kidney  stone). — H.=  6-6.5.  G.=  2.9-3.1.  Color  from 
white  to  dark  green.  A  variety  of  actinolite  or  hornblende.  Tough 
and  compact. 

*  Mineralogical  Notes  by  A.  S.  Eakle.     Bull.  Dept.  Geol.  Univ.  of  Cal.,  Vol.  II,  No.  10. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV.  97 

The  hu'k  of  brilliancy  makes  it  of  little  value  for  jewelry  except  as 
bracelets,  but  its  great  toughness  renders  it  eminently  suitable  for  orna- 
mental and  carved  work,  displaying  delicacy  of  workmanship  admirably. 

Mariposa  County. — Hacked  quartz,  a  peculiar  quartz  which  has  a 
resinous  luster  and  contains  dense  inclusions  of  the  mineral  mariposite 
(a  green  mica),  has  been  shipped  to  China  in  considerable  quantities, 
the  pleasing  green  color  making  it  a  good  substitute  for  the  jade,  so 
highly  prized  by  the  Chinese. 


DATOLITE* 

H.  =  5.  G.  =  2.98.  Color  white,  creamy,  grayish,  pale  green,  yel- 
lowish, reddish  or  amethystine.  In  small  glassy  crystals  to  massive. 
Silica,  37.6;  boric  acid,  21.8;  lime,  35.0;  water,  5.6. 

This  is  another  of  the  mineralogical  gems  of  considerable  interest,  as 
it  exists  in  a  number  of  places  in  the  desert  portions  of  the  State. 

IxYO  AND  San  Bernardino  Counties. — Datolite  of  a  creamy  color,  and 
pale  green,  is  found  in  the  borax  districts  of  both  of  these  counties, 
notably  in  Death  Valley  and  at  various  points  along  the  Amargosa 
River;  in  the  Slate  range,  and  in  the  Calico  Mountains.  A  specimen 
from  San  Carlos,  Inyo  County,  associated  Avith  grossularite,  is  in  the 
State  Mining  Bureau,  No.  2190. 

Crystallized  datolite,  as  well  as  the  compact  massive  variety,  occurs 
at  Fort  Point,  San  Francisco.* 


APOPHYLLITE. 

Fish-eye  Stone.     Ichthyophthalmite. 

H.^  5  or  less.  G.=  2.33.  Color  from  white  to  gray;  occasionally 
tinged  with  green,  pink  or  yellow.  Luster  pearly  to  vitreous.  Silica, 
53.7;  lime,  25.0;  potash,  5.2;  water,  16.1;  and  occasionally  a  small 
amount  of  fluorine. 

Occa'^ionally  cut  for  gem  purposes.  Its  pearly  luster,  producing  an 
effect  like  that  of  a  fish's  eye,  gave  rise  to  the  name  "fish-eye  stone." 

Occurs  in  basalt  at  Buckeye  mine,  near  Orion  Valley,  Plumas  County, 
New  Almaden  quicksilver  mines,  Santa  Clara  County,  and  at  Fort 
Point,  San  Francisco  County,  some  of  the  crystals  being  replaced  by 
silica. 

*  BuU.  Dept.  Geol.  Univ.  of  California,  Vol.  II,  Xo.  10. 


98  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,   of    CALIFORNIA. 

LAPIS  LAZULL 

Lazurite.     Native  Ultramarine. 

H.=  5.5.  G.=  2.38-2.4.  Color  rich  Berlin  blue,  azure  blue,  violet 
blue,  greenish  blue.  Translucent.  Silica,  31.7;  alumina,  26.9;  soda, 
27.3;  sulphur,  16.9.  Occurs  commonly  massive  in  limestone  and  in 
granite  rock. 

Lapis  lazuli  was  long,  thought  to  be  a  simple  mineral,  but  it  consists 
of  a  mixture  of  a  bluish  substance  called  lazurite,  with  granular  calcite, 
scapolite,  diopside,  amphibole,  mica,  pyrite,  etc. 

The  richly  colored  kinds  are  highly  esteemed  for  costly  vases,  mosaics 
and  ornamental  work. 

Mono  County.— Near  Mono  Lake. 

Lazulite,  or  False  Lapis  Lazuli,  is  a  rather  complex  phosphate  of 
alumina  and  magnesia,  with  some  water.  H.=  5.6.  G.=  3.  Color 
azure  blue. 

San  Diego  County. — The  first  specimen  of  this  mineral  noted  in  Cali- 
fornia was  found  near  Oceanside  in  1893.     S.  M.  B.  13591. 


ANDALUSITE. 

Chiastolite.         Made. 

H.=  7.5.  G.=  3.2.  Luster  vitreous,  often  dull.  Brittle;  cleavage 
prismatic  and  distinct.  Orthorhombic.  Color  varies  from  reddish  or 
greenish  brown  to  olive-green,  flesh-red,  rose-red,  violet  and  pearl-gray. 
Pleochroism  strong  in  some  colored  varieties,  green  in  one  direction, 
and  hyacinth  to  rose-red  in  another.  The  variety  Chiastolite  or  Made 
varies  in  hardness  from  5  to  7.5.  Silica,  37;  alumina,  63.  Trans- 
parent to  opaque. 

Chiastolite  or  Made  is  a  variety  of  andalusite,  the  stout  crystals 
having  the  axis  and  angles  of  a  different  color  from  the  rest,  hence 
exhibiting  a  colored  cross  or  a  tessellated  appearance  in  a  transverse 
section.  These  curious  cross-like  markings  make  it  a  favorite  gem 
abroad,  although  there  is  but  little  demand  for  it  in  this  country.  It  is 
often  sold  by  jewelers  under  the  name  of  "cross-stone." 

Fresno  County. — The  specimen  No.  8747  in  the  museum  of  the  State 
Mining  Bureau  is  from  this  county;  locality  unknown. 

Madera  County. — Location  unknown.  Specimens  shown  are  of  tine 
quality  and  remarkable  size.  Fragments  of  crystals  found  by  ^^^  W. 
Jefferis  are  over  3  inches  long  and  measure  H  by  1^  inches  in  diameter 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNLV.  99 

on  the  ends,  tlie  section  being  a  rhombic  prism.  When  polished,  the 
stones  show  the  peculiar  cross-pattern  in  a  rich  black  upon  a  white  or 
tine  salmon-colored  ground,  and  sometimes  with  a  black  square  or 
lozenge  at  the  center,  from  which  the  arms  of  the  cross  extend. 

Mariposa  CouiNTY. — Choice  crystals  have  been  found  in  the  placers 
along  the  Chowchilla  River,  near  the  old  road  to  Fort  Miller,  the  crj^stals 
showing  fine  black  crosses  on  a  white  ground  in  a  remarkably  perfect 
manner.  They  are  also  found  in  the  conglomerates  that  cap  the  hills  in 
that  vicinity  and  probably  come  from  the  slates  and  schists  a  little 
higher  up  the  river.  Specimen  No.  10756,  State  Mining  Bureau,  has  a 
matrix  of  argillaceous  schist,  with  mica.  Small  and  imperfect  macles 
have  been  found  in  the  slates  at  Muller's  ranch  near  Hornitos.  S.  M.  B. 
13573. 

Riverside  County. — Specimens  of  opaque  pink  andalusite  from 
Coahuila. 

EPIDOTE, 

Including:  Thulite,  Allanite^  Zoisite. 

Epidote. — H.=  6-7.  G.^  3.2-5.  Luster  vitreous  to  resinous.  Color 
peculiar  yellow-green,  to  red,  yellow,  gray  and  colorless.  Doubly 
refracting  and  strongly  pleochroic,  showing  a  green,  a  brown,  and  a 
yellow  as  viewed  from  the  several  directions.  Silica,  38;  alumina,  22; 
iron,  15;  lime,  23;  water  2,  but  variable. 

Thulite. — H.=  6.5.  G.=  3.3.  Color  peach-blossom  red  to  rose-red. 
Strongly  pleochroic,  rose  to  yellow. 

Allanite.—H.=  5.5-6.  G.=  3.0-4.2.  Crystals  broadly  tabular,  or 
long  acieular.     Color  nearly  black. 

Zoisite. — H.=:  6-6.5.  G.=  3.25-3.37.  Color  gray,  yellowish  brown, 
greenish  gray,  apple-green. 

Epidotes  are  common  in  gneiss,  schist  and  serpentine,  and  in  sand- 
stones adjoining  trap  rocks,  in  crystalline  limestone. 

Calaveras  County. — Epidote  crystals  on  quartz  from  Bald  Point, 
:\Iokelumne  River.     S.  M.  B.  11856^ 

Lake  County. — Zoisite  associated  with  glaucophane  at  Sulphur  Banks. 

Mariposa  County.  — At  Mount  Hoffman,  epidote.     S.  M.  B.  12006. 

Madera  County. — From  (irub  Gulch.     S.  M.  B.  13525. 

San  Diego  County. — Found  in  clear  transparent  crystals  at  the 
McFall  mine.  7i  miles  southwest  of  Ramona.  These  are  extremely 
beautiful  and  some   could    be   well  cut  for  gems,  of  rich   vellow-green 


I 


]()(•  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIAT>S,    ETC.,    OP    CAIJFORNIA. 

color.  The  crystals  resenil)le  in  form  those  from  Achmatovsk  in  tlie 
Ural,  and  are  as  perfect,  brilliant,  and  transparent  as  those  from. 
Untersulzbachthal  in  the  Austrian  Tyrol.  They  are  found  in  associa- 
tion with  essonite  garnet  and  quartz. 

AGALMATOLITE. 

H.=  2.5.  G.=  2.81.  Color  grayish,  grayish  green,  brownish  and 
yellowish. 

Agalmatolite,  or  Pagodite — a  name  given  to  some  compact  varieties 
of  pinite  (mica),  pyrophyllite,  and  steatite — is  like  ordinary  massive 
pinite  in  its  amorphous  texture  and  luster,  but  contains  more  silica. 
The  name  is  from  the  Greek  "agalma,"  an  image. 

The  Chinese  carve  the  soft  stone  into  miniature  pagodas,  images,  etc. 

El  Dorado  County. — A  beautiful  ornamental  stone  resembling  the 
Chinese  figure-stone  is  found  two  miles  west  of  Greenwood,  in  a  vein 
from  six  inches  to  a  foot  in  thickness.     S.  M.  B.  5300. 

San  Luis  Obispo  County. — A  stone  similar  to  this  has  been  found  in 
this  county,  but  the  location  has  been  lost.     S.  M.  B.  4060. 

LEPIDOLITE. 

Lithia  Mica, 

H.=  2.5-4.  G.=  2.84-3.  Luster  pearly.  Color  rose-red,  violet-gray, 
lilac,  yellowish,  grayish  white,  translucent.  A  complex  silicate  of 
alumina,  lithia,  potash,  etc.;  containing  also  fluorine  and  water.  In 
rhombic  crystals  or  plates,  or  compact  granular  massive. 

The  massive  variety  is  used  to  some  extent  for  ornaments,  such  as 
ash-trays,  dishes,  vases,  paper-weights,  etc. 

Inyo  County. — Pink  and  white  lepidolite,  with  azurite  from  the  vein 
matter  of  Half-Dollar  mine.     S.  M.  B.  4262. 

San  Diego  County. — The  largest  deposit  of  lepidolite  in  the  United 
States  is  found  at  Pala.  It  dips  with  a  pegmatite  vein  at  an  angle  of 
15  degrees.  The  average  percentage  of  lithia  is  from  3  to  5.  This  vein 
also  carries  pink  tourmaline  or  rubellite.  Eleven  hundred  tons,  worth 
$27,500,  were  shipped  in  1901  from  the  Stewart  mine.  S.  M.  B.  1229. 
Another  vein  undeveloped  has  been  discovered  in  the  west  side  of  Mount 
San  Jacinto.  S.  M.  B.  2773.  Large  bodies  of  lepidolite  have  also  been 
uncovered  at  Mesa  Grande  and  at  OakGrove,  and  the  mineral  is  a  con- 
stant associate  of  the  gem-tourmaline  and  kunzite  at  all  the  mines 
where  those  species  occur  in  that  region.  For  further  data,  see  Kunzite 
•vvl  Tourmaline. 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,   OF  .  CALIPORNLV. 


101 


The  Pala  are  the  greatest  known  deposits  of  )ith:ia  iiiineral,£  known, 
and  the  product  is  used  by  the  American  Lit'hift  Company  of  New  York 
to  obtain  the  litliia  from  it  for  Hthia  tablets  and  other  medicinal  uses. 

The  California  State  Mining  Bureau  exhibited  in  the  Mines  building, 
Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  a  magnificent  pagoda,  and  walls  of 
some  exhibits  were  made  out  of  wonderful  specimens  of  this  rubellited 
lepidolite.  This  beautiful  lilac  lepidolite  and  pink  tourmaline  combina- 
tion is  susceptible  of  a  high  polish  and  can  be  readily  w^orked  and 
turned,  so  that  it  ought  to  find  a  ready  market  for  such  objects  as  vases, 
dishes,  pin-trays,  paper-weights,  etc. 


ILL.  Nu.  24.  ENTRANCE  TO  LEPIDOLITE  MINE  .\T  PALA,  SAN  Uli: 
LEPIDOLITE  AND  RUBELLITE. 


CHRYSOCOLLA. 

H.=  2-4.  G.=  2-2.2.  Color  mountain-green,  bluish  green,  sky-blue, 
turquoise-blue,  translucent  to  opaque.     Hydrated  silicate  of  copper. 

This  mineral  when  coated  with  or  contained  in  quartz  or  chalcedony 
is  occasionally  cut  as  a  gem. 

Inyo  County. — In  pseudomorphs  after  cerussite  at  the  Aries  mine, 
Cerro  Gordo. 

Kern  County. — Beautiful  crystals  have  been  found  near  Randsburg 
that  were  mistaken  for  turquoise. 


102  GEMS,    JEWELER^.'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 

P.'/JM.vs  CoiJNTY.: — CUrysocolhi  and  inalachite  in  alternating  layerf^  at 
Engcls  copper  mine,  Light  Canon.     S.  M.  B.  5434. 

San  Bernardino  County. —Valley  Wells  and  New  York  INlonntains. 

San  Diego  County. — A  specimen  is  in  the  State  Mining  Burean,  locality 
not  given.     No.  7187. 

APATITE. 

Asparagfus  Stone. 

H.  =  5.  G.  =  3.17-3.23.  Lnster  vitreons.  Color  sea-green,  blnish 
green,  violet  blue;  occasionally  yellow,  brown,  gray  or  red.  A  tlno- 
phosphate  of  lime,  containing  also  some  chlorine. 

Opaque  specimens  have  been  found  in  the  eastern  end  of  the  King- 
stone  range,  in  San  Bernardino  County.  It  occurs  also  at  the  Dos 
Cabezas  mine,  near  Jacumba,  San  Diego  County. 

FLUORITE. 

Chlorophane.     Pyro-emerald. 

H.  =  4.  G.  =  3.18.  Luster  vitreous.  Color  range  extensive,  including 
white,  yellow,  green,  violet,  sky-blue,  amethystine  blue,  brown,  wine, 
yellow,  rose-red,  crimson  and  pink.  Fluorescent  and  phosphorescent 
when  slightly  heated.     Calcium,  51;  fluorine,  48.9. 

Fluorite,  though  too  soft  for  continuous  wear,  is  occasionally  cut  as 
a'gem.  The  massive  varieties  are  worked  up  into  paper-weights,  vases, 
etc.  It  is  also  known  as  chlorophane,  pyro-emerald,  fluorspar,  Derby- 
shire spar,  and  Cabra  stone.  Finely  colored  specimens  are  also  known , 
according  to  color,  as  false  ruby,  topaz,  emerald,  amethyst,  etc. 

Contra  Costa  County. — In  white  cubes  at  Mount  Diablo. 

Mono  County. — At  Ferris  Canon,  in  the  Sweetwater  Mountains. 
S.  M.  B.  14336. 

San  Diego  County. — At  Palomar  Mountain,  Oak  Grove,  a  large 
piece  of  greenish  fluorite  has  been  found. 

ANHYDRITE. 

Vtjipmite. 

H.=  3.5.  G.=  2.9.  Luster  vitreous  and  pearly.  Color  white,  gray- 
ish, bluish,  reddish;  also  brick-red  and  blue.  Anhydrous  sulphate  of 
lime.     Lime,  41.2;  sulphuric  acid  (sulphur  trioxide),  58.8. 

Anhydrite  has  also  been  called  muriacite,  tripe-stone,  and  anhydrite, 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORXL\.  103 

according  to  its  structure — muriarite  when  crystallized  in  broad 
lamellae;  anhydrite  when  granular:  and  tripe-stone  when  composed  of 
contorted  plates. 

Vulpinite  is  a  scaly  granular  variety,  and  is  the  kind  most  used  for 
ornamental  purposes. 

Inyo  County. — Panamint  and  Funeral  range,  Death  Valley. 
Mono  County. — Mountains  south  of  Mono  Lake. 

San  Bernardino  County. — Owl  Mountains,  near  Owl  Springs,  Ava- 
watz  ^Mountains  near  to  Amargosa  River. 

San  Diego  County. — Riverside  range.  Mesa  Grande. 

GYPSUM, 

Alabaster.     Satin  Spar.     Selenite. 

H.=  2.  G.=  2.o.  Color  white,  gray,  flesh-red,  honey,  ochre-yellow, 
blue,  brown,  and  black.  Sulphate  of  lime  (hydrous).  Lime,  32.6; 
sulphuric  acid,  46.5;  water,  20.9. 

Selenite  occurs  either  in  distinct  crystals  or  broad  folia  that  are 
transparent. 

Satin  SpaP  is  a  fine  fibrous  variety  having  the  pearly  opalescence  of 
moonstone  and  affording  the  cat's-eye  ray  when  cut  en  cahochon.  It  is 
frequently  worked  up  into  beads,  pins,  and  other  ornaments,  but  is  too 
soft  to  stand  any  wear. 

Alabaster  is  a  fine-grained,  white,  or  delicately  clouded  variety.  It 
is  worked  into  carvings,  statuettes,  and  other  ornamental  objects. 

Gj'psum  forms  extensive  beds  in  connection  with  limestones  and 
marlites;  it  is  found  also  in  crystalline  rocks;  about  the  fumaroles  of 
volcanoes  and  in  the  desiccated  lakes  of  the  desert,  and  in  the  borax, 
soda,  and  niter  fields,  where  it  has  been  deposited  on  the  evaporation 
of  sea  water  and  brines  in  which  it  exists  in  solution. 

Inyo  County. — Common  in  many  places. 

Los  Angeles  County. — Soledad  Caiion. 

^loNO  County'. — Abundant  in  desert  portion. 

Riverside  County. — In  desert  portion,  in  large  quantities  and  supe- 
rior quality. 

San  Bernardino  County. — Common  in  the  dry  lakes  of  the  Mojave 
Desert. 

San  Luis  Obispo  County. — At  Cholame. 
San  Diego  County. — Abundant  in  Salton  Desert. 
Santa    Barbara    County. — Point    Sal   in    large    quantities    and     of 
superior  quality,  also  at  Rancho  Casmalia. 


10-i  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERLVLS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

COAL. 

Jet.     Lig-nite.     Cannel.     Anthracite.     Brown  Coal. 

Jet. — The  most  important  of  the  mineral  coals  used  for  ornamental 
purposes  is  jet,  a  compact,  soft,  light  coal  of  a  lustrous  velvet-black 
color,  susceptible  of  a  high  polish.  It  is  a  variety  of  lignite.  A  speci- 
men from  Gold  Bluff,  Humboldt  County,  is  in  the  State  Mining  Bureau, 
No.  7321.     It  was  taken  from  a  carbonized  tree  in  a  coal  vein. 

Cannel  Coal  takes  a  good  polish  and  is  occasionally  worked  into  ink- 
stands, snuff-boxes,  breast-pins,  bracelets,  etc. 

Brown  Coal. — In  this  the  form  and  fiber  of  the  original  wood  are  pre- 
served. It  is  made  into  paper-weights,  charms,  and  trinkets.  Speci- 
mens suitable  for  these  purposes  are  often  obtained  from  the  coal  mines 
in  Amador,  Alameda,  Contra  Costa,  Monterey,  Orange,  and  Riverside 
counties. 

HEMATITE. 

Including-  Chromite,  Ilmenite,  Limonite. 

Hematite. — H.=  6.  G.=  4.9-5.3.  Iron,  70;  oxygen,  30.  Color  iron- 
black,  to  steel-gray. 

Limonite. — H.=  5-5.5.  G.=  3.6-4.0.  Color  black,  brown-black,  gray. 
Iron,  ()0;  oxygen,  25;  water,  15. 

Ilmenite  or  Menaecanite  op  Titanic  Iron  (oxide  of  titanium  and 
iron). — H.=  5t6.  G.=  4.5-5.  Color  black.  Oxygen,  31.6;  titanium, 
31.6;  iron,  36.8. 

Chromite.— H.=  5.5.  G.=  4.3-4.6.  Color  black.  Iron  oxide,  32.0; 
chromium  oxide,  68.0. 

The  compact  fibrous  kinds  of  these  irons  are  cut  into  beads,  intaglios, 
charms,  and  other  ornaments. 

Alameda  County. — Hematite  near  Alameda;  limonite  in  hills  east  of 
Alameda. 

Alpine  County. — Hematite  at  Monitor. 

Amador  County.— Hematite  in  lone  Valley. 

Butte  County. — Hematite  near  Oroville. 

Calaveras  County.  -  Hematite  and  limonite  at  Campo  Seco  and  San 
Andreas;  limonite  at  Sheep  Ranch  and  Big  Trees. 

Del  Norte  County. —Hematite  at  Kelsey  tunnel. 


GEMS,    JE^VELERS'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  105 

El  Dorado  County. —Hematite  at  Diamond  Springs;  limonite  near 
Latrobe;  beautiful  compound  crystals  of  ilmenite  at  Georgetown,  from 
the  placers;  chromite  in  many  places. 

Fresno  County. — Ilmenite  at  Buchanan. 

Inyo  County. — Hematite  in  Owens  Valley. 

Mendocino  County. — Limonite.     B.  M.  B.  7104. 

Nevada  County. — Hematite  at  the  Holden  ledge  in  T.  15  X.,  R.  7  E. 

Placer  County. — Hematite  at  Clipper  Gap  iron  mine,  and  at  Red 
Hill.     Limonite  in  nodules  at  Forest  Hill,  resembling  coprolites. 

Plumas  County. — Hematite  at  Crescent  Mills,  Mumford's  Hill  and 
Light  Canon. 

Riverside  County. — Hematite.     8.  M.  B.  7107. 

San  Bernardino  County. — Hematite,  Iron  Mountain  and  Bessemer 
Mountain,  in  the  Mojave  Desert. 

San  Luis  Obispo  County. — Hematite  at  Harrington  iron  mine,  T.  31  S., 
R.  11  E.;  also  limonite. 

Shasta  County. — Hematite  and  limonite  at  the  Iron  Mountain  mine. 

Sierra  County.  — Limonite  at  Gold  Lake. 

Solano  County. — Limonite  on  the  shores  of  the  bay,  in  nodules. 

Sonoma  County. — Hematite  and  limonite  in  quantity  at  Santa  Rosa. 

Yuba  County. — Limonite  on  Bear  River,  near  Wheatland. 

GO^THITE* 

H.  = -5-5.5.  G.  =  4-4.1.  Color  yellowish,  reddish,  and  blackish 
l)rown.  Often  blood-red  by  transmitted  light.  Oxide  of  iron,  with  10 
per  cent  of  water. 

This  hydrated  oxide  of  iron  often  occurs  in  acicular  crystals  pene- 
trating limpid  quartz.  This  form  of  inclusion  is  known  as  Onegite,  and 
is  frequently  cut  into  gems. 

Mariposa  County. — At  Burns'  Creek,  in  quartz. 

CASSITERITE, 

Wood  Tin.     Toad^s-eye  Tin, 

H.  =  6.7.  G.  ^6.8-7.1.  Luster  adamantine.  Color  brown  or  black; 
to  gray,  white  or  yellow.     Tin,  78.6;  oxygen,  21.4. 

Cassiterite,  or  tinstone,  is  used  to  a  limited  extent  for  ornamental 
purposes.  The  wood  tin  occurs  in  reniform  or  botryoidal  shapes  of 
concentric  layers  or  bands  resembling  dark  wood. 

Riverside  County. — Some  of  the  crystallized  tin  ores  from  the  Tem- 
escal  district  have  been  polished  fiat  and  resemble  a  dark  polished  wood. 


]06  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OV   CALIFORNIA. 

BROOKITE, 

Arkansite. 

H.  =5.0-6.     G.  =  3.87-4.08.     Titanium,  00.0;  oxygen,  40.0. 

Brookite  does  not  polish  readily,  and  this  fact  limits  its  use  as  a  geuL 
Brookite  includes  the  hair-brown,  yellowish,  ruby-red,  transparent  to 
translucent  kinds  having  a  metallic,  adamantine  luster.  Arkansite 
includes  the  brilliant,  iron-black,  opaque  kinds. 

El  Dorado  County. — Brookite  implanted  upon  quartz  crystals  has 
been  found-  at  Placerville,  by  Mr.  James  Blakiston.  The  crystals  of 
brookite  are  tabular,  about  two  millimeters  broad  and  one  fourth  of  a 
millimeter  in  thickness.  Their  color  is  a  rich  reddish  or  yellowish 
])rown.  The  ledge  from  which  the  mineral  was  obtained  is  a  quartz 
ledge  that  is  partly  decomposed  and  partly  compact.  A  decomposed 
quartz  vein  traverses  the  main  vein  for  about  100  feet,  and  is  filled  in 
with  reddish  earth  and  sand.  This  decomposed  material  is  full  of 
quartz  crystals  from  the  size  of  a  man's  finger  to  those  weighing  80  or 
90  pounds,  some  perfectly  clear  and  others  with  inclusions  of  green 
chlorite  and  of  chalcedony. 

AZURITE  AND  MALACHITE, 

Blue  Carbonate  of  Copper,     Green  Carbonate  of  Copper.     False  Emerald. 

H.=  3.5-4.  G.=  3.8-4.0.  Azurite  shows  various  shades  of  azure  to 
Berlin  blue.  Malachite  is  a  bright  green.  Malachite  contains  copper 
oxide,  71.9;  carbon  dioxide,  19.9;  water,  8.2.  Azurite  contains  copper 
oxide,  69.2;  carbon  dioxide,  25.6;  water,  5.2. 

Both  are  elegant  minerals,  common  in  copper  mines,  and  when  com- 
pact, especially  malachite,  are  used  for  ornamental  work,  such  as  vases, 
table-tops,  mantels.  Malachite  is  most  highly  valued  in  Russia,  where 
the  greatest  palaces  and  churches  are  embellished  with  it. 

The  uses  of  the  two  carbonates  of  copper  as  gems  are  limited  by 
their  softness.  A  favorite  form' is  where  the  two  minerals  occur  in 
alternating  layers. 

Tliese  minerals  are  found  in  nearly  all  the  copper  districts  of  the 
State;  especially  in  the  following  localities: 

Calaveras  County. — At  the  Hedges  mine,  Coi)peropolis. 

Inyo  County. — Coso  Mountains. 

Kern  County. — At  San  Emigdio  ranch  with  melaconite. 

Mono  County.— At  Blind  Springs.     S.  M.  B.  4746. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  107 

Sax  Bernardino  County. — New  York  Mountains,  Valley  Wells. 

San  Luis  Obispo  County. — Santa  Rosa  Creek. 

Santa  Clara  County. — With  crystallized  cinnabar   in    crystallized 
calcite  at  the  Guadalupe  mine.     S.  JNI.  B.  4929. 

Shasta  County. — At  Copper  Hill. 


TURQUOISE. 

H.=  6.  G.=  2.6-2.8.  Luster  somewhat  waxy.  Color  sky-blue,  bluish 
green  and  greenish  gray.  P205  =  32.6;  ALOg  =  46.8rH20  =  20.6. 
A  copper  phosphate  is  also  present,  giving  rise  to  the  blue  color. 

Fresno  County. — At  Taylor's  ranch,  Chowchilla  River,  several  hex- 
agonal bluish-green  crystals,  about  one  inch  long,  were  found  which 
Avere  identified  as  turquoise  by  Dr.  Gideon  E.  Moore  and  Prof.  V.  von 
Zepharovich.  The  latter  believed  them  to  be  pseudomorphous  after 
apatite.* 

San  Bernardino  County. — In  the  extreme  northeastern  part  of  this 
county  there  have  been  discovered  old  and  abandoned  mines  of  turquoise 
covering  an  area  of  many  square  miles.  Associated  with  these  mines 
were  found  the  relics  of  an  early  race;  and  it  is  supposed  that  this  is 
the  original  source  of  much  of  the  turquoise  found  in  the  hands  of  the 
Indians  of  the  southAvestern  United  States  and  Mexico.  The  turquoise 
occurs  in  small  veins  and  also  in  kidney-shaped  masses  about  the  size 
of  a  l)ean.     Much  of  it  is  of  good  quality. 

The  first  published  announcement  of  turquoise  discoveries  in  this 
region  Avas  made  through  the  Avriter  in  1897,  in  his  report  to  the  U.  S. 
Geological  Survey. f  The  locality  Avas  given  as  near  Manvel.  Mr.  T.  C. 
Bassett  had  observed  in  this  neighborhood  a  small  hillock  Avhere  the 
float  rock  Avas  seamed  and  stained  Avith  blue.  On  digging  doAvn  a  few 
feet,  he  found  a  vein  of  turquoise — a  Avhite  talcose  material  inclosing 
nodules  and  small  masses  of  the  mineral,  Avhich  at  a  depth  of  20  feet 
shoAved  fine  gem  color.  Tavo  aboriginal  stone  hammer's  Avere  met  Avith. 
as  usual  at  all  the  turquoise  localities  in  the  soutliAvest,  and  from  this 
circumstance  the  location  Avas  named  the  Stone  Hammer  mine. 

The  State  Mining  Bureau  reported  at  about  the  same  time  that 
turquoise  had  been  found  in  the  desert  region  between  Death  Valley 
and  Goff's  Mining  District,  nearer  the  former,  and  that  good  samples 
Avere  in  the  museum  of  the  Bureau. 

In  the  spring   of  1898,   many   reports  of  extensive  discoveries  Avere 

*Zeitsch.  flir  Kryst.  u.  Miii.,  Vol.  X,  \>.  240. 
t  Mill.  Res.  U.  S.,  1897,  p.  5(»4. 


lOS  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV. 

announced,  and  nuu-li  attentit)n  was  given  by  the  })ress  to  the  accounts 
of  the  region,  both  for  the  turquoise  itself,  and  for  the  remarkable 
archaeological  remains  associated  with  the  ancient  workings.  The 
district  was  seen  to  cover  quite  a  large  area  in  northeastern  San 
Bernardino  County,  near  the  Arizona  and  Nevada  lines. 

On  the  reports  of  prospectors  reaching  San  Francisco  as  to  a  great 
group  of  ancient  turquoise  mines  with  cave  dwellings,  stone  imple- 
ments, and  rocks  covered  with  inscriptions,  an  exploring  party  was 
organized  by  the  San  Francisco  "  Call,"  and  Mr.  Gustav  Eisen,  of  the 
California  Academy  of  Sciences,  became  attached  to  it  as  archaeological 
expert.*  The  party  set  out  early  in  March,  1898,  going  first  to  Blake 
Station  on  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad,  thence  north  to  Manvel,  and  onward 
some  sixty  miles,  across  the  Ivanpah  Sink,  and  up  into  the  mountains 
to  an  altitude  of  over  6,000  feet,  through  an  exceedingly  rugged  country, 
to  reach  the  region  reported.  The  turquoise  district,  as  described  by 
Mr.  Eisen  and  others  of  the  party,  occupies  an  area  of  30  or  40  miles  in 
extent,  but  the  best  mines  are  in  a  smaller  section,  about  15  miles  long 
by  3  or  4  in  width.  The  region  is  conspicuously  volcanic  in  aspect, 
being  largely  covered  w^ith  outflows  of  trap  or  basaltic  rock  reach- 
ing outward  from  a  central  group  of  extinct  craters.  These  flows 
extend  for  many  miles  in  all  directions,  and  appear  as  long,  low  ridges, 
separated  by  valleys  and  canons  of  the  wildest  character.  Among 
these  basaltic  rocks  and  in  the  valleys  are  found  smaller  areas  of  low, 
rounded  hills  of  decomposed  sandstones  and  porphyries,  traversed  at 
times  by  ledges  of  harder  crystalline  rocks,  quartzites,  and  schists. 
In  the  caiions  and  on  the  sides  of  these  hills  are  the  old  turquoise  mines, 
appearing  as  saucer-like  pits,  from  15  to  30  feet  across  and  of  half  that 
depth,  but  generally  much  filled  up  with  debris.  They  are  scattered 
about  everywhere.  Around  them  the  ground  consists  of  disintegrated 
quartz  rock,  like  sand  or  gravel,  full  of  fragments  and  little  nodules  of 
turquoise.  Whenever  the  quartzite  ledges  outcrop  distinctly  they 
show  the  blue  veins  of  turquoise,  sometimes  in  narrow  seams,  sometimes 
in  nodules  or  in  pockets.  The  mode  of  occurrence  appears  closely  to 
resemble  that  at  Turquoise  Mountain,  Arizona.  A  few  prospectors  have 
dug  into  the  old,  half-filled  depressions  and  found  stones  of  good  color 
and  quality,  and  ordinary  ones  may  be  picked  up  almost  anywhere 
out  of  the  decomposed  quartz.  Stone  tools  are  abundant  in  the  old  work- 
ings, and  the  indications  are  plain  that  this  locality  was  exploited 
on  a  great  scale  and  probably  for  a  long  period,  and  must  have  been 
an  important  source  of  the  turquoise  used  among  the  ancient  Mexicans. 
From  an  archaeological  point  of  view'  this  locality  possesses  remark- 
able interest.     The  caiion  walls  are  full  of  caverns,  now  filled  up  to  a 

*See  20th  Rept.  U.  S.  GeoL  Surv.,  Min.  Res.,  1898,  pp.  582-584;  and  San  Francisco 
"Call,"  March  18,  1898. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNL\.  109 

depth  of  several  feet  with  apparently  wind-blown  sand  and  dust,  but 
whose  blackened  roofs  and  rudely  sculptured  walls  indicate  that  they 
were  occupied  for  a  long  time  by  the  people  who  worked  the  mines.  In 
the  blown  sand  were  found  stone  implements  and  pottery  fragments  of 
rude  type,  incised  but  not  painted.  The  openings  to  these  caves  are 
partially  closed  by  roughly  built  walls  composed  of  trap  blocks  piled 
upon  one  another  with  no  attempt  at  fitting  and  no  cement,  but  evi- 
dently made  as  a  mere  rude  protection  against  weather  and  wild  beasts. 
The  tools,  found  partly  in  the  caves  and  largely  in  the  mine  pits,  are 
carefully  wrought  and  polished  from  hard  basalt  or  trap,  chiefly  ham- 
mers and  adzes  or  axes,  generally  grooved  for  a  handle  and  often  of 
large  size.  Some  are  beautifully  perfect,  others  much  worn  and  bat- 
tered by  use. 

The  most  impressive  feature,  however,  is  the  abundance  of  rock 
carvings  in  the  whole  region.  These  are  very  varied,  conspicuous,  and 
peculiar,  while  elsewhere  the}'  are  very  rare.  Some  are  recognizable  as 
''Aztec  water  signs,"  pointing  the  way  to  springs;  but  most  of  them  are 
unlike  any  others  known,  and  furnish  a  most  interesting  problem  to 
American  archaeologists.  They  are  numbered  by  many  thousands,  carved 
in  the  hard  basalt  of  the  cliffs,  or,  more  frequently,  on  large  blocks  of 
the  same  rock  that  have  fallen  and  lie  on  the  sides  of  the  valleys. 
Some  are  combinations  of  lines,  dots,  and  curves  into  various  devices; 
others  represent  animals  and  men;  a  third  and  very  peculiar  type  is  that 
of  the  "shield  figures,"  in  which  complex  patterns  of  lines,  circles,  cross 
hatchings,  etc.,  are  inscribed  within  a  shield-like  outline  perhaps  3  or  4 
feet  high. 

One  curious  legend  still  exists  among  the  neighl)oring  Indians  that 
is  in  no  way  improbable  or  inconsistent  with  the  facts.  The  story  was 
told  Mr.  Eisen  by  "Indian  Johnny,"  son  of  the  Piute  chief,  Tecopah, 
who  died  recently  at  a  great  age,  and  who  in  turn  had  received  it  from 
his  father.  Thousands  of  years  ago,  says  the  tale,  this  region  Avas  the 
home  of  the  Desert  Mojaves.  Among  them  suddenly  appeared,  from 
the  west  or  south,  a  strange  tribe  searching  for  precious  stones  among 
the  rocks,  who  made  friends  with  the  Mojaves,  learned  about  these 
mines,  and  worked  them  and  got  great  quantities  of  stones.  These 
people  were  unlike  any  other  Indians,  with  lighter  complexions  and 
hair,  very  peaceable  and  industrious,  and  possessed  of  many  curious  arts. 
They  made  these  rock  carvings  and  taught  the  Mojaves  the  same  things. 
This  alarmed  and  excited  the  Piutes,  who  distrusted  such  strange  novel- 
ties, and  thought  them  some  form  of  insanity  or  "  bad  medicine,"  and 
resolved  on  a  war  of  extermination.  After  a  long  and  desperate  conflict, 
most  of  the  strangers  and  Mojaves  were  slain,  since  which  time,  perhaps 
a  thousand  years  ago,  the  mines  have  been  abandoned.  Mr.  Eisen  con- 
nects this  account  with  the  existence  of  a  fair  and  reddish-haire(^  tribe, 


110  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 

the  Mayos  (not  Mayas),  in  })arts  of  Sinaloa  and  Sonora,  some  of  wlioni 
may  have  reached  tliese  mines  and  carried  on  a  turquoise  trade  with 
Mexico. 

This  region  has  since  been  opened  at  several  points,  and  at  least  a 
dozen  mines  are  now  being  worked  by  various  parties,  mostly  with 
Eastern  capital.  The  principal  work  is  being  done  by  the  Himalaya 
and  the  Toltec  mining  companies.  The  turquoise  obtained,  when  pure 
and  of  good  color,  is  cut  into  fine  gems;  also  the  white  and  blue  com- 
bination known  as  turquoise  matrix,  when  small  portions  and  veins  of 
turquoise  are  distributed  through  the  rock,  and  the  whole  is  cut  and 
polished  as  an  ornamental  stone.  The  paler  varieties  of  turquoise  are 
cut  into  beads,  etc.,  long  strings  of  which  are  sold.  Most  of  the  material 
produced  is  sent  to  New  York.  The  yield  in  1900  was  estimated  at  a 
value  of  $20,000. 

AMBER. 

Succinite* 

H.^  2-2.5.  G.=  1.05-1.09.  Brittle.  Luster  resinous  and  waxy. 
Transparent  to  opaque.  Negatively  electrified  by  friction.  Burns 
readily  with  a  rich  yellow^  flame  and  aromatic  odor.  Pure  succinite  is 
not  soluble  in  alcohol.  Carbon,  78.94;  hydrogen,  10.53;  oxygen,  10.52. 
Color  yellow,  sometimes  reddish,  brownish,  or  whitish,  often  clouded, 
occasionally  fluorescent,  exhibiting  a  peculiar  blue  or  green  tinge. 

Amber  is  a  fossil  resin  of  vegetable  origin.  Impure  specimens  have 
been  found  in  several  of  the  lignite  coal  veins  of  the  State,  but  none  of 
the  true  gem  character.     Its  use  is  principally  for  beads,  necklaces,  etc. 

CARBONATE  OF  LIME. 

Pearl,  Marble,  Calcite,  Aragonite,  etc. 

Carbonate  of  lime  is  most  widely  distributed  in  a  variety  of  forms 
depending  upon  differences  in  origin,  crystallization  and  structural 
conditions,  presence  of  impurities,  etc.  With  the  exception  of  pearl  and 
coral,  the  many  kinds  find  a  use  more  for  decorative  purposes  than  for 
personal  adornment. 

Pearls  are  concretions  possessing  a  luster  peculiar  to  themselves, 
found  in  the  shells  of  certain  mollusks.  H.=  2.5-3.5.  G.=  2.5-2.7. 
They  may  be  of  any  shape  and  in  some  cases  of  considerable  size.  In 
color  they  range  from  an  opaque  white,  through  pink,  yellow,  salmon, 
fawn,  red,  purple,  green,  brown  and  black,  or  iridescent.  Their  beauty 
and  value  are  dependent  upon  their  color,  texture  or  "skin,"  transparency 
or  "  water,"  luster  and  form.     The  most  valuable  are  those  that  are 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,,    ETC.,,    OF    CALIFORXL\.  Ill 

spherical  or  pear-shaped,  slightly  transparent,  free  from  specks  or 
blemishes,  and  possessing  the  characteristic  luster  in  the  highest  degree. 
The  pearl-oysters  of  the  Pacific  and  Indian  oceans  have  yielded  the  bulk 
of  the  pearls  of  the  world.  The  pearl  has  been  highly  prized  through 
all  ages,  and  has  long  been  the  emblem  of  purity,  beauty,  and  nobility. 
The  abalone,  also  known  as  the  haliotis  or  earshell,  secretes  curious 
pearly  masses,  sometimes  of  fine  luster  and  value. 

Marbles  consist  essentially  of  carbonate  of  lime,  with  more  or  less 
carbonate  of  magnesia.  They  are  fine  to  coarse  granular  in  structure, 
and  exhibit  various  colors,  as  white,  yellow,  red,  green,  blue,  etc.,  being 
often  clouded  and  giving  a  handsome  effect  when  polished.  Statuary 
marble  must  be  pure  white  and  fine-grained;  architectural  marble  may 
be  white  or  colored.  Cipolin  is  white  tinged;  Sienna  is  yellow,  veined 
or  clouded  with  brownish  green;  Mandelato  is  light  red  with  white  spots; 
Bardiglio  is  gray  with  dark  clouding;  Verde- Antique  (mixture  of 
marble  and  serpentine)  is  clouded  yellowish  to  bluish  green;  Porter  or 
Egyptian  is  black,  veined  with  yellow;  Lumachelle,  or  fire  marble,  is  a 
dark  brown  shell  marble  with  fire-like  internal  reflections;  Madreporic 
contains  corals;  Ruin  Marble  shows,  when  polished,  figures  resembling 
ruined  castles,  etc.;  Oolite  is  made  up  of  grains  resembhng  fish  roe; 
Pisolite  is  like  oolite,  but  the  concretions  are  larger;  Stalactites  are  the 
pendent  masses  formed  in  caves;  Stalagmites  cover  the  floors  of  caves; 
California  onyx,  Oriental  onyx,  onyx  marble,  Mexican  onyx,  etc.,  have 
beautiful  banded,  mottled,  or  cloudy  structures,  often  showing  wide 
ranges  of  colors. 

Caleite  has  a  hardness  of  3  and  a  specific  gravity  of  2.72. 

Arag'Onite  has  a  hardness  of  3.5  and  a  specific  gravity  of  2.93. 

Satin  Spar  is  fibrous  crystalline  caleite  or  aragonite,  showing  a 
beautiful  sheen  when  cut  into  ornamental  objects  such  as  paper-weights, 
beads,  etc.  The  cat's-eye  like  effect  is  very  pleasing.  Used  extensively 
for  this  use  in  England  and  the  Russian  Urals. 

Amador  County. — Stalactite  and  stalagmite  in  numerous  caves;  the 
same  in  Calaveras  County  and  Shasta  County. 

Colusa  County. — A  specimen  of  aragonite  from  this  county  is  in  the 
National  Museum  at  Washington,  D.  C.  It  is  a  single  cabochon  cut,  of 
brown  color,  and  measures  27  b}'  14  by  7  millimeters.  Catalogue  num- 
ber, a-597:84,  114.  There  is  also  a  polished  slab  of  the  same  color: 
catalogue  number,  b-840:48,  540. 

Inyo  and  Mono  Counties. — These  counties  have  large  resources  of 
marbles  and  onyx.     Undeveloped  oolite  has  also  been  discovered. 

Napa  County. — Aragonite  or  California  onyx,  or  "  Zem-zem,"'  is  rep- 
resented in  the  State  Mining  Bureau  by  Specimen  No.  14768,  from  near 
Zem-Zem,  exact  locality  unknown. 


112  OEMS,    jewelers'    materials,    etc.,    of    CALIFORNIA. 

San  Bekn'ardino  County. — liavge  quarries  of  choice  Verde-antique 
are  situated  near  Victorville,  on  the  north  side  of  the  San  Bernardino 
range.  At  Colton,  both  Egyptian  and  Bardiglio  are  quarried.  These 
marbles  are  described  in  the  "  Mineral  Resources  of  San  Bernardino 
County."     Specimens  in  the  State  Mining  Bureau  are  11350  and  11424. 

San  Diego  County. — Aragonite  at  Los  Pehasquitos  Creek.  S.  M.  B. 
7320.     Oolite  and  Madreporic  marbles,  Salton  Desert  and  Carizzo  Creek. 

San  Luis  Obispo  County. — Onyx  marbles,  aragonite  or  California 
onyx  quarries  are  situated  in  Sec.  9,  T.  32  S.,  R.  15  E.  Beautiful  speci- 
mens are  on  exhibition  in  the  State  Mining  Bureau  (2006),  and  also  in 
the  Memorial  Museum,  Golden  Gate  Park. 

Siskiyou  County. — The  Griffin  onyx  quarries  are  situated  6  miles 
south  of  Berryvale.  Specimens  in  the  State  Mining  Bureau  are  7355 
and  8969. 

Solano  County. — A  number  of  polished  slabs  of  aragonite  are  on 
exhibition  from  the  Suisun  quarries  at  the  State  Mining  Bureau,  2261 
(this  is  a  fossil),  386,  556,  670,  5345,  etc.  Aragonite  is  also  found  in 
considerable  quantities  at  Vacaville.     S.  M.  B.  5345. 

Sonoma  County. — There  is  an  aragonite  quarry  at  Healdsburg. 

The  aragonites  of  this  State  are  locally  known  as  California  onyx. 
Only  the  liest  known  localities  are  mentioned  above. 


ORBICULAR  DIORITE  (NAPOLEONITE). 

A  mass  of  orl)icular  diorite  is  situated  in  San  Diego  County,  in  Sec. 
15,  T.  16  S.,  R.  1  E.,  about  two  miles  west  of  Dehesa.  In  part  this 
rock  is  largely  made  up  of  spherules  often  2^  inches  in  diameter,  as 
shown  in  Illustration  No.  4,  page  15.  The  rock  itself  is  very  dark 
colored,  and  when  cut  and  polished  makes  a  handsome  stone.  A  recent 
correspondent  of  the  press  describes  the  rock  as  several  hundred  feet 
thick,  forming  a  blanket  on  the  side  of  a  small  hill  some  1500  feet 
above  the  bed  of  the  Sweetwater  River,  thinning  out  toward  the  top. 

The  orbicular  diorite  is  of  various  shades  of  gray  to  olive-green  and 
black;  the  round  nodules  are  of  some  two  inches  diameter,  with  a  finely 
crystalline  radiate  and  concentric  structure.  Other  portions  of  the 
rock  are  marked  like  the  grain  of  wood,  in  black  and  green  wavy  lines,  at 
times  expanding  into  the  likeness  "of  kno.ts,  and  also  in  curious  "bolts," 
parallel,  curved,  or  crossing  each  other,  in  great  variety. 

This  stone  is  a  well-known  variety,  but  rare,  and  when  polished  is 
very  striking.  It  occurs  in  Corsica,  and  has  hence  been  called  Napo- 
leonite.     Fine  slabs  from  several  localities  are  in  the  American  Museum 


:^.0M&kh!^&^  "■% 


ILL.  No.  25.     ORBICULx^R  DIORITE  MINE,  DEHESA,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY— NEAR  VIEW 
OF  OUTCROP. 


ILL.  No.  26.     PEBBLE  BEACH  AT  PESCADERO,  SAN  MATEO  COUNTY. 


114  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIPORNLV. 

of  Natural  History  at  Ncav  York,  and  arr  both  elegant  and  j)eeviliar. 
This  Dehesa  locality,  from  the  specimens  seen,  ought  to  yield  a  very 
fine  product  for  use  in  the  ornamental  arts.  It  was  described  by  Prof. 
A.  C.  Lawson  in  a  paper  read  before  the  Geological  Society  of  America, 
December  19,  1901.* 

CAT*S-EYE, 

The  term  cat's-eye  is  applied  to  a  number  of  minerals  which,  when 
cut  en  rnhochon,  exhibit  a  peculiar  opalescence  characterized  by  a  line 
or  ray  of  light  across  the  stone,  resembling  the  contracted  pupil  of  the 
eye  of  a  cat.  Among  the  minerals  which  when  fibrous  or  cut  across 
the  cleavage  will  show  the  cat's-eye  ray  are:  beryl,  chrysoberyl,  espe- 
cially thecymophane;  corundum,  crocidolite,  dumortierite;  quartz  filled 
with  acicular  crystals  or  fibrous  minerals,  such  as  actinolite,  byssolite, 
hornblende,  etc.;  hypersthene,  enstatite,  bronzite,  aragonite,  gypsum, 
labradorite,  limestone,  hematite,  etc.  Such  gems  may  be  opaque, 
translucent,  or  transparent,  and  may  be  of  any  color. 

Humboldt  County. — Actinolite  cat's-eye  at  Eureka. 

San  Mateo  County. — Quartz  cat's-eye  at  Pescadero  Beach. 

San  Diego  County. — Quartz  cat's-eye  at  Point  Loma,  fine  tourmaline 
cat's-eyes  at  Mesa  Grande  (see  p.  60),  and  beryl  cat's-eyes  at  Rincon. 

OBSIDIAN, 

Obsidian,  a  peculiar  glass-like  stone  of  volcanic  origin,  essentially 
feldspar  in  composition,  is  found  along  Pit  River,  where  handsome 
specimens  of  the  streaked  variety  known  as  marekanite  or  "  mountain 
mahogany"  are  found;  also  in  Owens  Valley,  where  it  occurs  in  red 
fragments,  and  also  banded  with  alternate  layers  of  black  and  brown. 
Similar  observations  have  been  made  by  earlier  and  later  travelers, 
among  whom  was  the  late  Hon.  Caleb  Lyon,  who  in  1860  found  the 
Shasta  Indians  of  California  making  arrowheads  from  obsidian  as  well  as 
from  the  glass  of  a  broken  bottle.  In  a  letter  which  was  published  by 
the  American  Ethnological  Society,  he  describes  the  method  of  manu- 
facture.! It  was  quite  a  favorite  stone  with  the  aborigines  of  the  West 
and  Southwest,  where  it.  is  somewhat  widely  distributed,  especially  in 
the  Yellowstone  Park  and  in  Mexico;  in  the  latter  the  Aztecs  used  it  for 
much  remarkable  work  in  knives,  spearheads,  and  ornaments.  Mr. 
W.  H.  Trenchard  reports  obsidian  in  considerable  quantity  in  San 
Felipe  Valley,  northeast  of  Julian,  San  Diego  County;  and  it  may 
doubtless  be  found  more  or  less  at  many  points  in  the  State. 

*  Science  (N.  S.),  Vol.  XV,  1902,  p.  41.5. 

+  Bull.  Am.  Ethii.  Society,  VoL  I,  p.  39,  New  York,  1861. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  115 

PEARLS, 

The  most  important  marine  pearl-fishery  on  the  American  continent 
is  that  of  Lower  California,  the  central  point  being  at  La  Paz.  Here 
the  true  pearl-oysters,  Meleagrina  margariiifera,  are  found  on  the 
eastern  shores  of  the  Gulf  of  California  from  Cape  San  Lucas  to  the 
mouth  of  the  Colorado  River,  taking  in  about  1500  miles  of  coast, 
including  the  gulf  islands.  They  are  also  found  from  La  Barra  de 
Oeoz,  which  is  the  boundary  line  between  the  republics  of  Guatemala 
iind  Mexico,  to  Mazatlan,  a  distance  of  2000  miles,  making  for  the  pearl 
fisheries  a  total  extent  of  3500  miles. 

These  fisheries  have  recently  been  confirmed  to  the  Pearl  Shell 
Company  of  San  Francisco,  by  special  franchise  from  the  Mexican 
Government.  The  beds  were  first  discovered  some  three  centuries  ago 
by  Hernando  Cortez  when  he  crossed  to  the  Pacific  and  discovered 
Lower  California,  and  the  name  of  California,  derived  from  "calidus," 
hot,  and  "fornius,"  a  hearth,  it  is  believed,  is  due  to  this  journey, 
having  been  given  by  Cortez,  who  found  the  heat  intense  when  he  first 
touched  California  soil.  He  took  possession  of  the  fisheries,  and  sent  a 
number  of  fine  pearls  to  the  Queen  of  Spain,  subsequently  requiring  all 
fishers  to  send  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  one  tenth  of  all  they  found,  and 
one  tenth  to  the  King  of  Spain.  After  some  intermittent  work,  the 
fisheries,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  ago,  were  again  worked, 
with  system  and  with  great  success,  by  one  Juan  Ossio,  who  took  from 
them  yearly  from  300  to  500  pounds  of  pearls,  actually  packing  them 
on  mules  and  selling  them  by  the  bushel.  The  shells  were  all  brought 
up  by  head  divers,  and  pearls  were  taken  from  them  so  plentifully  that 
they  became  of  comparatively  small  value.  This  heavy  drain  had  the 
effect  of  rapidly  diminishing  the  supply,  and  it  is  only  of  late  years  that 
fishing  has  again  been  carried  on  systematically.  At  present  numerous 
beds  are  known  and  worked,  at  Loreto,  off  Point  Lorenzo,  the  island  of 
Cerrabro,  the  harbors  of  Picheluigo,  La  Paz,  and  in  fact  the  whole  Avest 
coast  of  the  Gulf  of  California  from  La  Paz  to  above  the  island  of  Loreto, 
and  in  the  east  the  island  of  Tiburon,  and  the  land  above  and  below 
that  island.     All  these  places  have  been  famous  for  their  pearls. 

In  1860,  in  order  to  conduct  pearl-gathering  in  a  more  scientific 
manner,  the  owner  of  the  Mexican  grants,  Senor  Navarro,  procured 
from  San  Francisco,  Cal.,  a  number  of  expensive  schooners,  with  surf- 
boats,  professional  divers,  and  costly  apparatus.  After  several  years' 
experience  he  found  that  his  experts,  with  their  expensive  outfit,  were 
no  more  successful  than  the  naked  Indian  divers,  while  the  exorbitant 
Avages  demanded  by  them  so  diminished  his  profits  that  he  wisely  went 
back  to  the  primitive  methods  followed  by  his  ancestors.  At  present 
those  ship-owners  who  undertake  the  fisheries  on  a  large  scale  use  appa- 


116  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

ratus  imported  from  France  and  England,  by  means  of  which  each  man 
is  able  to  bring  up  daily  300  pearl-oysters.  The  men  employed  are  pow- 
erful Mexicans,  and  every  diver  has  five  assistants.  Four  men  work 
the  air-pumps  for  the  suited  diver,  and  the  fifth  attends  to  the  life-line^ 
letting  down  the  diver  and  hauling  him  up,  as  well  as  hoisting  up  the 
nets  or  baskets  full  of  shells  and  lowering  the  empty  ones.  The  pump- 
men are  fed  and  housed,  and  receive  $15  a  month;  the  life-line  man  is 
similarly  looked  after,  and  receives  $25  a  month;  the  diver  receives  $45 
a  month,  and  one  tenth  of  all  he  brings  up,  netting  him  as  high  as  $500 
a  month,  if  he  is  fortunate.  Connected  with  each  fishing  party  is  a 
schooner  of  from  60  to  200  tons  burden,  and  two  or  three  small  boats. 
The  men  live  on  the  schooner  during  the  entire  six  months.  In  addition 
there  are  numerous  divers  who  work  independently,  and  who  show 
wonderful  skill  and  aptness  in  their  work.  Generally,  with  no  other 
appliance  than  a  heavy  stone  attached  to  the  waist,  they  plunge  naked 
to  the  bottom,  select  suitable  bivalves,  and  gather  them  into  a  bag, 
remaining  under  water  as  long  as  two  minutes.  The  shells  containing 
the  pearls  vary  in  diameter  from  2  to  8  inches,  6  inches  being  the  aver-' 
age  size.  They  are  found  on  hard  rocks  or  on  sandstone  at  the  bottom 
of  the  sea,  usually  in  bunches,  holding  to  the  rocks  by  a  fibrous  beard 
(byssus),  the  circular  opening  being  on  top  and  the  shells  usually  a  little 
open.  The  oysters  are  vertical,  not  lying  on  the  flat.  Each  diver  has 
a  knife,  with  which  he  cuts  a  bunch  loose  and  places  them  in  a  basket 
or  net  by  his  side;  this  is  hoisted  up  when  full,  an  empty  one  descend- 
ing at  the  same  time.  On  rising  to  the  surface,  the  fisher  empties  his 
bag  into  one  of  the  waiting  surf-boats,  which  crafts,  under  careful  guard, 
deliver  their  loads  to  a  well-armed  schooner,  the  latter  vessel  running 
in  shore  at  night  to  discharge  the  accumulated  cargo.  Occasionally, 
during  all  the  time  he  is  under  water,  a  man  may  not  send  up  a  single 
shell  containing  a  pearl;  at  other  times  there  may  be  $10,000  worth  in 
twenty  shells.  A  very  strict  police  system  is  necessary  to  prevent  seri- 
ous thefts,  which,  despite  the  utmost  vigilance,  are  of  daily  occurrence. 
On  land  the  cargo  is  turned  over  to  keepers,  and  the  mass  is  surrounded 
by  guards,  armed  to  the  teeth.  The  shells  are  pried  open  with  a  flat 
knife,  and  the  mussel  is  separated  from  each  shell.  A  gristly  sub- 
stance attaches  the  body  of  the  oyster  to  the  shell,  and  covers  about 
one  fourth  of  its  area,  the  remainder  being  occupied  by  the  pearl-bearing 
membrane,  a  black,  jelly-like  coat,  and,  of  course,  a  part  of  the  living 
shell-fish.  The  shells  are  handed  over  to  another  man,  while  the 
opener  takes  the  separated  fish  and  examines  the  inside  of  the  black 
membrane  for  the  pearls  he  is  in  search  of,  and  finally  closes  his  fist 
over  the  fish  to  squeeze  out  any  pearl  which  may  be  lodged  in  the 
interior,  after  which  the  pearls  found  are  examined  by  experts,  their 
value   estimated,    and    a    settlement   made    at   once  with    the   divers. 


o'NlVtKSn  Y 

'\  OF 

GEMS,    JE^TELERS'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNL\.  117 

Usually  their  wages  amount  to  twenty-five  per  cent  of  the  total  find, 
and  they  are  paid  by  an  allotment  of  the  pearls  taken  during  the  day. 
On  the  outside  the  shells  are  covered  with  seaweed  or  other  submarine 
growth,  and  look  not  unlike  a  Tam-o'-Shanter  cap.  All  this  growth 
is  removed  and  the  shells  are  cleansed  and  packed,  finding  a  ready 
market  in  Liverpool,  London,  and  Hamburg  at  prices  of  from  10  to  20 
cents  a  pound  for  "mother-of-pearl."  The  profit  from  these  fisheries  is 
not  as  large  as  might  be  imagined,  because  the  expenses  are  very  heavy, 
and  there  is  always  involved  a  very  considerable  element  of  chance. 

About  1863  a  company  was  organized  in  New  York  City  for  the  pur- 
pose of  gathering  pearls  and  pearl  shells  on  the  Pacific  coast,  and 
secured  the  use  of  a  submarine  boat,  the"  peculiarities  of  which  were 
that  it  carried  a  large  supply  of  fresh  air  condensed  within  its  walls 
and  was  provided  with  a  means  of  purifying  the  air  in  the  working 
chamber,  thus  dispensing  with  the  necessity  of  communicating  with  the 
surface,  as  it  furnished  an  atmosphere  in  which  men  could  work  for 
a  whole  day  with  perfect  ease.  The  company  procured  a  lease  of  prop- 
erty at  the  island  of  Tiburon,  hoping,  with  their  facilities,  to  secure 
unusual  returns;  for,  with  their  submarine  boat,  they  would  have  the 
advantage  of  exploring,  locating,  and  working  beds  where  divers  could 
not  go.  Presumably  their  efforts  were  not  successful,  for  the  company 
soon  went  out  of  existence. 

During  the  subsequent  summer  a  new  company  obtained  the  conces- 
sion for  the  Lower  California  pearl  fisheries,  and  they  decided  that  all 
the  fisheries  on  the  Gulf  of  California  should  in  the  future  be  worked 
by  Chinamen. 

For  more  than  three  hundred  years  these  fisheries  have  been  in  the 
possession  of  private  grants  dating  back  to  the  days  of  the  Conquest. 
The  Mexican  Government  has  in  recent  years  annulled  the  old  grants 
and  leased  the  fisheries  to  the  highest  bidders.  The  house  of  Gonzales 
<!t  Paiffo,  having  offices  in  La  Paz  and  the  City  of  Mexico,  secured  a 
concession  for  sixteen  years  permitting  them  to  work  the  fisheries 
around  the  Espiritu  Santo  and  La  Paz  islands,  which  are  considered 
the  best  of  the  beds.  The  Government  has  recently  granted  to  a  single 
firm  the  exclusive  right  to  raise  the  mother-of-pearl  shells,  and  for  the 
reproduction  of  such  oysters  the  system  used  in  the  State  of  Maryland 
will  be  followed.  The  fisheries,  which  constitute  one  of  the  leading 
industries  of  Lower  California,  are  now  diminishing  yearly,  and,  owing 
to  the  continued  exploitation,  many  of  the  ship-owners  find  themselves 
losers  at  the  end  of  the  season. 

Most  of  the  pearls  from  this  place  are  sent  to  market  by  way  of  San 
Francisco.  A  letter  to  the  author  from  a  leading  fishing  firm  in  1892 
contains  the  following:  "  The  pearl  fisheries  average  about  5,000  carats 
a  year,  which  represent  a  value  of  $200,000,  to  which  you  must  add  about 


]18  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 

80(),()()()  pounds  of  pmirl  shells,  representing  a  value  of  about  $1S0,00(). 
The  eost  amounts  to  about  $100,000."  During  1887  it  is  believed  that 
more  than  $50,000  worth  of  pearls  were  found.  The  total  product  of 
the  fisheries  has  amounted  to  as  much  as  $250,000  in  a  single  year,  and 
the  sale  of  the  shells  to  as  much  more.  From  November,  1868,  until 
September,  1869,  $26,000  worth  of  pearls  were  purchased  from  this 
locality  by  one  New  York  house.  These  were  of  various  sizes,  including 
four  that  weighed  over  20  grains  and  one  of  49  grains.  In  color,  the 
pearls  from  this  locality  vary  from  pure  white  through  gray  and  brown 
to  black.  The  latter  have  become  so  fashionable  in  late  years  that 
their  value  has  increased  tenfold.  One  black  pearl  weighing  50  grains 
was  valued  at  $8,000.  A  magnificent  pear-shaped  pearl  of  a  less  size 
was  held  at  £7,000  in  1904.  Black  pearls  and  gray  pearls,  when  fine, 
are  among  the  most  highly  prized  products  of  the  sea. 

ABALONE. 

The  Abalone  (Haliotis  or  Earshell),  the  principal  species  of  which 
are  Haliotis  splendens  and  Haliotis  rufescens  (called  ormev  in  the 
Channel  Islands,  fuh-yu  in  China,  awahi  in  Japan,  and  abalone  in 
California),  also  secretes  pearls.  The  nacreous  portion  of  the  shell 
itself  is  used  for  ornamental  purposes,  such  as  buttons,  etc.,  and  surface 
ornamentation  in  lacquer  work,  papier-mache,  etc. 

The  fishing  is  conducted  at  low  tide,  the  principal  grounds  on  the 
coast  being  along  the  Catalina  and  Santa  Rosa  islands,  in  the  Santa 
Barbara  channel,  and  from  Monterey  to  San  Diego,  although  a  large 
number  are  gathered  in  Halfmoon  Bay  and  from  the  rocks  that  line 
the  shore  of  Mendocino  County.  The  earshells  attach  themselves 
to  the  rocks  by  means  of  their  large  muscular  disk-shaped  foot  (so 
called),  which  acts  like  a  sucker  or  exhaust  cup.  Just  before  the  tide 
leaves  them  on  the  ebb,  and  just  after  it  has  reached  them  on  the  flow, 
the  abalones  keep  their  shells  slightly  raised  above  the  surface  of  the 
rock  with  the  feelers  drawn  in.  Then  the  fisherman,  with  either  a  long, 
broad  knife  or  a  spade-like  instrument — both  are  used — gives  a  quick 
lift  to  the  sucker  or  foot,  letting  in  the  air.  The  suction  is  destroyed 
and  the  fish  falls  off,  when  it  is  seized  and  thrown  into  a  boat  or  basket, 
before  it  can  fasten  itself  afresh.  If  the  fish  lies  below  water,  a  sort  of 
grappling  iron  is  let  down,  and  after  the  point  is  inserted  under  the 
shell  a  vigorous  wrench  pulls  it  away.  All  this  has  to  be  done  quickly 
and  quietly,  for  if  the  abalone  closes  down  on  the  rock,  it  can  not  be 
drawn  off,  so  great  is  its  power  of  adhesion,  and  it  will  be  broken  into 
fragments  before  it  releases  its  hold.  When  caught,  the  abalones  are 
thrown  on  the  beach,  and  the  fish  is  pulled  from  the  shell  with  a  flat, 
sharp  stick,  and  stripped  of  its  curtain,  boiled,  salted,  and  strung  on 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV.  119 

long  rods  to  dry  in  the  air.  This  process  is  very  disagreeable,  and  that 
of  stripping  and  cleaning  so  offensive  that  none  but  Chinese  will 
undertake  it.  The  abalones  must  be  as  hard  as  sole-leather  when 
properly  dried,  and  they  are  then  packed  in  sacks,  and  sent  to  China. 
The  price  of  the  meat  is  from  5  to  8  cents  a  pound  in  San  Francisco,  or 
from  7  to  10  cents  a  pound  in  China.  When  cooked,  it  is  cut  into 
strips  and  boiled,  the  taste  being  similar  to  that  of  the  clam,  but  with  a 
more  meat-like  consistency. 

The  trade  in  this  dried  meat  is  considerable.  In  1866  there  were 
exported  from  San  Francisco  by  steamer  1697  sacks,  valued  at  $14,440, 
and  in  1867  the  exports  had  risen  to  3713  sacks,  valued  at  $33,090.  At 
present  there  are  exported  upwards  of  200  tons  a  year,  which  at  $175  a 
ton  would  amount  to  $35,000.  At  San  Diego,  Cal.,  the  dried  meat  is 
quoted  at  $110  a  ton.  The  shells  vary  from  almost  microscopic  size  to 
8  or  10  inches  in  diameter.  Before  they  were  found  to  be  of  any  market- 
able value  they  were  thrown  away.  One  heap  a  little  south  of  San 
Diego,  containing  over  a  hundred  tons  of  shells,  from  exposure  to  the 
rain  and  the  sun  was  converted  into  lime  on  the  outside,  but  this  was 
broken  into  and  many  fine  shells  were  found. 

The  shell  in  its  natural  state  is  no  more  attractive  than  that  of  the 
oyster;  it  is  rough  on  the  outside,  looking  much  like  a  piece  of  dried 
brown  clay,  and  is  frequently  covered  with  a  growth  of  barnacles,  sea- 
weeds, etc.  Commercially  there  are  five  varieties,  the  green,  the  black, 
the  red,  the  pink,  and  the  mottled;  but  considering  them  from  an  orna- 
mental standpoint,  the  shells  may  be  grouped  under  three  heads,  red, 
black,  and  green,  so  called,  of  course,  from  their  prevalent  color.  The 
black,  which  is  the  smallest  and  least  valuable,  is  found  from  Monterey 
down  to  the  Gulf  of  California;  the  red,  which  is  next  in  value,  but  the 
largest  in  size,  is  found  from  Mendocino  to  Monterey;  while  the  green 
comes  from  below  San  Diego.  The  black  seldom  exceeds  6  inches  in 
diameter,  the  green  rarely  goes  beyond  9,  while  the  red  runs  as  high  as 
12  or  14  inches.  The  black  is  not  beautiful  on  the  outside,  even  when 
cleansed  of  lime  and  marine  parasites,  but  inside  there  lies  a  small  patch 
of  the  most  brilliant  opalescent  tints,  and  this  is  sawn  out,  and  made  into 
brooches  and  lockets.  The  red  is  of  a  general  mother-of-pearl  appear- 
ance, with  stripes  and  mottles  of  a  rich  burnt  umber.  The  green,  both 
within  and  without,  is  full  of  fire  and  color,  some  interiors  being  quite 
as  vivid  and  of  much  the  same  prevailing  color  as  a  peacock's  neck. 
This  variety  is  principally  used  for  jewelry,  and  is  worked  into  every 
kind  of  ornament,  from  a  table-top,  inlaid  with  representations  of 
tiowers  and  butterflies,  to  the  smaller  varieties  of  jewelry.  The  Pueblo, 
Zuni.  and  Navajo  Indians,  and  all  the  Indians  of  the  Pacific  coast 
as  far  north  as  Alaska,  have  made  it  into  charms  and  have  used  it  for 
ornamentation  for  ages.     It  has  been  used  as  an  applied  decoration   on 


120  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OP^    CALIFORNIA. 

silver  objects,  and  exami>les  were  exhibited  at  the  World's  Fair  held  at 
Paris  ill  1889. 

The  first  adaptation  of  the  abalone  shell  to  ornamental  purposes  was 
made  by  an  English  worker  in  mother-of-pearl  who  went  to  San  Fran- 
cisco more  than  twenty  years  ago.  He  saw  the  possibilities  of  the  won- 
derful, brilliant  shell,  and  began  a  business  which  now  requires  the 
services  of  more  than  ten  men.  The  little  trifles  made  of  this  shell  are 
considered  by  the  Eastern  visitor  and  the  European  tourist  as  dis- 
tinctively Californian  as  a  piece  of  big-tree  bark.  The  incrustations 
were  formerly  removed  by  soaking  the  shells  in  a  bath  of  muriatic  acid, 
but  it  was  found  that  this  process  injured  the  texture,  and  they  are 
now  cleaned  and  polished  by  friction  lathes.  Twenty  years  ago  abalone 
shells  were  considered  so  worthless  that  freight  steamers  would  not 
transport  a  bag  of  them  without  advance  payment  for  the  freight. 
Now  they  are  worth  $150  to  $175  a  ton  in  New  York  and  Liverpool. 
The  shells  are  shipped  first  to  San  Francisco,  where  they  are  assorted 
and  the  damaged  ones  thrown  aside,  about  three  tons  of  merchantable 
shells  being  procured  from  five  tons  of  material  as  it  comes  from  the 
abalone-hunters.  These  shells  are  quoted  (1889)  in  San  Diego  at  $20, 
$25,  and  $35  a  ton,  according  to  quality,  and  in  consequence  of  such 
low  prices  the  trade  is  comparatively  dull.  The  output  of  shells 
during  1888  was  estimated  at  300  tons.  The  amount  of  shells  made 
into  jewelry  in  San  Francisco  is  very  small  compared  with  that  con- 
sumed by  the  button-makers  of  France,  England,  Germany,  and  New 
York.  Orders  for  abalone  shells  are  constantly  received  from  these 
places,  and  there  are  times  when  the  export  reaches  as  high  a  figure  as 
100  tons  a  week.  The  collector  of  customs  at  San  Francisco  furnishes 
the  information  that  for  the  fiscal  year  1887-88  the  export  of  abalone 
shell  amounted  to  $185,414,  which  together  with  $35,000,  the  value  of 
the  dried  meat  annually  exported,  makes  this  quite  an  important 
industry. 

These  shells  secrete  very  curious  pearly  masses,  sometimes  of  fine 
luster,  and  choice  enough  to  deserve  a  place  among  pearls.  A  pearl 
measuring  2  inches  in  length,  and  from  a  quarter  to  a  half  inch  in 
width,  has  been  found.  A  necklace  made  in  California  from  the  finest 
specimens  was  valued  at  over  $2000.  A  pearl  over  half  an  inch  long 
and  of  good  color  cost  $30,  and  was  used  as  the  body  of  a  jeweled  fly. 
The  abalone  pearls  from  the  coasts  of  Korea  and  Japan  are  often  very 
beautiful.  In  a  lot  of  about  one  hundred  shells  only  five  were  found 
bearing  pearls — two  with  three  pearls  each,  two  with  two  pearls  each, 
and  one  with  a  single  pearl. 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  121 


GEM  MINES  IN  CALIFORNIA. 


Besides  the  references  made  to  a  number  of  gem  mines  in  the  body  of 
this  Bulletin,  the  following  more  specific  data  are  here  presented  with 
reference  to  some  of  the  more  important  ones.  For  the  purpose  of 
obtaining  this  information,  a  special  inquiry  was  undertaken  at  the 
close  of  the  last  year,  1904,  in  behalf  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau;  and 
representatives  of  the  Bureau  visited  a  number  of  the  mines  and  collected 
valuable  data,  which  are  herewith  presented. 

It  is  well  to  remember  the  fact  that  there  is  already  more  actual 
mining  for  gems  done  in  the  State  of  California  than  in  any  other 
State  or  Territory  of  the  Union,  while  the  indications  are  that  there 
will  be  many  more  gem  mines  discovered  in  southern  California  as 
remote  districts  are  opened  and  old  ones  more  fully  explored. 

The  following  data  are  grouped  (1)  geographically,  and  to  some 
extent  also  (2)  in  the  order  of  discovery — beginning  in  Riverside 
County,  and  proceeding  southward  and  southwestward,  in  San  Diego 
County,  by  Pala,  Mesa  Grande,  and  Ramona,  to  the  Mexican  line  at 
Jacumba. 

COAHUILA  DISTRICT, 

in  Riverside  County.     These  are  the  most  northern  occurrences  of  gem- 
tourmaline,  and  the  earliest  discoveries  were  made  here. 

Fano  Kunzite-Tourmaline  Mining-  Company. — This  mine  consists 
of  four  claims,  about  3  miles  north  of  Coahuila  Indian  Reservation, 
Riverside  County,  and  was  located  in  1902  by  Bert  Simmons.  The 
nearest  postoffice  is  Hemet,  Riverside  County.  After  some  surface 
work  had  been  done,  a  tunnel  was  started  300  feet  from  the  summit 
of  the  hill,  to  cross  the  ledge,  but  by  a  mistake  in  calculation,  the 
ledge  proper  was  crossed  about  20  feet  from  the  surface.  The  parties 
tlien  continued  their  operations  until,  at  a  depth  of  176  feet,  solid  blue 
granite  was  reached.  The  tunnel  was  then  abandoned,  and  Avork  from 
that  time  has  been  confined  to  the  surface. 

The  ledge  is  about  5  feet  in  width,  with  a  northwesterly  and  south- 
easterly strike,  and  a  dip  to  the  southwest  of  about  17  degrees.  The 
pegmatite  is  finely  crystallized,  and  resembles  that  of  the  other  tour- 
maline and  kunzite  mines  in  southern  California. 

Three  men  are  at  work  at  present,  and  operations  will  be  continued 
indefinitely.     The  output  so  far  has  been  25  pounds  of  kunzite,  white; 


I 


122 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATEHIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


1  pound  of  kunzitc,  pink;  and  2o  i)ounds  of  all  classes  of  tourmaline, 
mostly  blue  and  green;  about  250  pounds  of  beryl  have  also  been 
taken  out,  but  only  about  five  per  cent  of  it  available  for  gem  purposes. 
Two  hundred  pounds  of  very  fine  quartz  crystals  also  have  been  sold, 
and  about  a  ton  of  lepidolite  and  30  or  40  pounds  of  amblygonite;  also 
splendid  flake  mica  large  enough  for  commercial  purposes  lias  lieen 
discovered. 


ILL.   No.  27.     COAHUILA  .M(  )rNT.\I  \  ((i  I- 
COUNTY.      BERYL.  KTXZrrK,  AM 


:l\l  \'il\V),  rivkrsi] 

:>LT()rRJL\LINK.  ' 


There  is  a  spring  near  the  property  on  land  rented  by  the  owners  of 
the  mine;  also  plenty  of  oak  timber  for  mining  purposes.  Considerable 
money  has  been  expended  here  without  much  result,  but  for  the  work 
actually  done  on  gem  pockets,  this  mine  has  1)een  a  S]»lendid  producer- 

Columbia  Gem  Mine. — This,  the  oldest  tourmaline  mine  in  the 
State,  is  situated  at  Coahuila,  Riverside  County,  and  owned  by  Messrs. 
H.  C.  Gordon,  P.  E.  .Johnson,  J.  C.  Connell,  and  William  Dyche,  of  San 


GEMS.    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC..    OF    CALIFORXL\. 


125 


Diego;  it  i?^  aljout  half  a  mile  northwest  of  the  road  leading  from  Coa- 
hnila  to  the  Hemet  reservoir,  and  near  the  summit  of  the  divide  crossed 
by  this  road.  Nothing  has  been  done  on  this  mine,  except  assessment 
work,  for  over  five  years,  but  it  was  the  first  tourmaline  mine  discov- 
ered in  southern  California,  and  it  has  produced  a  great  many  beautiful 
gems.  The  i)Ockets,  however,  seem  to  have  been  worked  out,  and 
nothing  important  has  been  found  recently.  The  ledges  of  pegmatite 
are  very  fine  granite,  and  both  sides  of  the  pocket  material  seem  to  be- 
of  the  same  character,  thus  differing  from  any  other  mine  yet  found  in 
the  gem  districts  of  California.  There  is  no  water  or  timber  available^ 
and  it  is  altosfether  a  desolate  resion.     The  altitude  is  about  5000  feet. 


ILL.  Xo.  -JS.      FANO  (SIMMONS)    MINE,    COAHLILA,    RIVKRSIMK    COrNTY-VIKW     i  iF 
RIDGE,   LOOKING  NORTH.    GEM-TOURMALINE.  BERYL.  KUNZITE. 

Passing  southward  from  the  Coahuila  region,  into  San  Diego  County, 
the  locality  next  described  lies  by  itself,  about  half  way  to  the  great  Mesa 
Grande-Pala  line  of  mines.  Although  not  yet  an  important  producer, 
the  occurrence  is  very  interesting,  as  suggesting  other  possible  localities 
vet  to  l)e  discovered  in  the  interveninor  area. 


Gem  Mine  No.  1. — Owned  by  Mr.  Bert  Simmons,  of  Oak  Grove,  and 
Mr.  Charles  Gordon,  of  San  Diego.  Practically  no  work  has  been  done 
on  this  mine  since  its  location  in  June,  190o.  Its  altitude  is  higher 
than  any  other  gem  mine  in  San  Diego  County,  being  .-5100  feet  above 
sea  level,  and  about  one  mile  east  of  the  summit  of  Aguanga  Mountain. 
The  average  width  of  the  vein,  as  far  as  could  be  seen,  was  1  feet,  but 
it  is  badly  broken,  and  upon  examination  showed  that  both  foot  and 


124  GEMS,  jewelers'  materials,  etc.,  of  californlv. 

hanging  walls  were  of  very  hard  blue  diorite.  Great  pressure  has 
apparently  crushed  the  ledge,  and  the  pocket  layer  is  found  on  tlu; 
top,  between  the  diorite  and  the  pegmatite,  and  presents  fine,  broken 
crystallizations  of  orthoclase  and  albite,  in  which  a  red  clay  is  mixed. 
The  tourmaline  crystals  show  much  indication  of  dynamic  action,  being 
badly  broken  and  twisted,  but  afford  nodules  of  beautiful  coloring — 
deep  blues,  reds,  and  an  almost  emerald-green  predominating.  The 
mine  is  located  on  the  top  of  the  divide  or  watershed  between  San  Luis 
Rey  River  and  the  Temecula  Cafion.  So  little  work  has  been  done 
that  it  seems  better  to  reserve  any  report  as  to  the  quantity  and  quality 
until  more  is  ascertained.     Parties  are  at  work  at  present  on  the  mine. 


PALA  DISTRICT, 

As  elsewhere  described  in  this  Bulletin,  the  mines  near  Pala  are 
located  on  three  hills  or  ridges,  the  western  being  properly  called  Pala 
Mountain,  on  which  are  the  great  lepidolite,  or  Alvarado,  mine,  and  the 
Stewart  mine,  next  described,  which  yields  some  gem  material.  The 
other  mountains,  Pala  Chief  and  Heriart,  which  are  apparently  foothills 
or  spurs  of  Agua  Tibia  Mountain,  are  those  yielding  gem-spodumene  as 
well  as  tourmaline.  Some  18  miles  to  the  southwest,  but  probably 
belonging  to  the  same  range  of  hills,  lie  the  great  tourmaline  mines  of 
Mesa  Grande.     These  Avill  be  given  in  the  order  stated. 

Stewart  Mine,  Pala  Mountain. — This  mine,  said  to  have  first  been 
discovered  by  an  Indian  deer-hunter  named  Vensuelada,  in  the  early 
days  of  California  history,  was  first  worked  by  a  miner  named  Henry 
Magee,  who  located  the  claim  as  a  quicksilver  mine,  mistaking  the  pink 
tourmaline  for  cinnabar,  but  upon  analysis  he  abandoned  his  prospect. 
Next  it  was  located  as  a  rock-claim  by  Don  Tomas  Alvarado,  a  Mexican 
land-owner  in  that  locality,  who  believed  that  the  beautiful  bluish, 
pinkish,  and  gray  minerals  studded  with  transparent  pink  crystals  were 
a  peculiar  variety  of  marble.  Several  years  later  a  German  scientist, 
who  was  familiar  with  lithia  mines  in  Europe,  saw  a  specimen  of  Pala 
lepidolite  in  a  mineral  collection  in  New  York.  Obtaining  a  piece,  he 
made  an  analysis  and  found  that  this  ore  was  as  rich  in  lithia  as  any 
found  in  the  world.  From  this  time  forward,  gradual  development 
under  many  ownerships  has  proved  that  great  deposits  of  lithia-bearing 
ores  exist  in  the  pegmatites  of  the  Pala  district,  the  largest  and  most 
valuable  being  the  Stewart  and  Alvarado  mines. 

In  examining  the  workings  and  surface  of  the  Stewart  mine,  owned 
l)y  the  American  Lithia  Company,  of  New  York,  numerous  indications 
of  gem-minerals  were  met  with,  especially  in  the  lower  workings.     As 


GEMS.    JEWELERS      MATERL^lLS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  12.> 

in  the  Alvarado  mine,  the  lepidolite  is  generally  studded  with  small, 
fan-shaped  crystallizations  of  rubellite  (pink  tourmaline),  with  occa- 
sional crystals  of  bluish  or  greenish  tourmaline,  but  not  of  gem  quality. 
Near  the  surface  the  tourmalines  are  small  and  perfectly  crystallized, 
but  are  more  or  less  fractured,  opaque,  and  unfit  for  jeweler's  use. 
In  the  deeper  workings  and  in  the  extreme  western  tunnels,  how- 
ever, pink  tourmalines  from  one-half  to  one  inch  in  diameter  are 
found  in  colmunar  groups,  all  more  or  less  altered,  and  of  not  over 
three  (3)  in  hardness,  associated  with  quartz,  orthoclase.  gray  lepidolite. 


ILL.  ^'o.  29.     STEWART  LITHIA  MINE,  FXLX  MOUXTAIS,  SAN   DIEGO  COUXTY-WEST 
END   OF  TUNNEL,   LOOKING  NORTHEAST. 


and  amblygonite.  Triplite  and  triphylite  are  also  associated  minerals. 
Large  crystallizations  of  what  appears  to  be  an  altered  spodumene  were 
observed,  penetrating  the  quartz. 

On  the  surface,  small  green  tourmalines  were  found  in  the  pegmatite, 
generally  more  or  less  flattened  between  the  cleavage  planes  of  musco- 
vite  mica. 

Several  years  ago  a  pocket  containing  about  a  quart  of  small  tour- 
maline crystals  was  found  in  coarse  pegmatite,  60  feet  south  of  the 
present  tunnel  of  the  Stewart  mine.  Some  of  these  crystals  were  cut 
into  very  good  gems,  but  no  further  work  at  that  spot  has  been  done. 


12(i 


GEMS,    .TE\VELERS'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


Pala  Chief  Mine. — Tliis  mine  was  located  in  May,  1903,  by  Mr. 
John  CJiddens,  Pedro  Peiletch,  Bernardo  Heriart,  and  Frank  A.  Salmons. 
The  main  Avorkings  are  at  an  altitude  of  1220  feet  (aneroid).  The  work 
consists  of  open  cuts  250  feet  wide,  extending  to  a  depth  of  from  10  to 
SO  feet  horizontally  on  the  vein,  and  at  the  deepest  working  the  ledge 
is  21  feet  in  width  vertically.  A  tunnel  45  feet  long  was  run  to 
•encounter  the  vein  up  to  about  20  feet  depth,  but  it  was  found  that  the 
ledge  was  a  blanket  vein,  and  nothing  was  discovered  in  that  place. 
But  in  the  upper  or  surface  workings  the  hanging  and  foot  walls  were 
liotli  found  to  be  of  bluish  and  grayish  decomposed  diorite.     The  upper 


30.     PAL.\  CHIEF   MINE,    PALA,  SAX    DIEGO    COUNTY-EXTKXT   AX1> 
CHARACTER  OF  WORK   DOXE  IX    DEVELOPIXG   KUXZITE 


part  of  the  vein  consists  of  3  feet  of  white,  finely  crystallized  pegmatite. 
Beneath  this  the  crystallizations  becorne  coarser  and  more  granitoid. 
The  third  layer  was  composed  partly  of  finely  crystallized  albite  and 
orthoclase,  upon  the  lower  edge  of  which,  and  extending  to  the  pockets, 
was  a  layer  of  lithia-bearing  micas.  In  the  interior  of  the  pockets, 
which  are  generally  8  to  10  inches  wide,  pinkish  and  white  talc  was 
found,  in  which  occurred  numerous  large  and  perfect  quartz  crystals 
with  pink  and  white  spodumene.  As  in  most  of  the  mines  of  southern 
California,  the  lower  half  of  the  ledge,  below  the  pocket  line,  is  a  very 
finely  crystallized  granite  without  mica,  wdth  small  crystals  of  essonite 
garnet.     The  above-described  characteristics  of  the  ledge  are  general 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNLV. 


127 


tlironghout  the  mine.  The  minerals  noted  were  spodumene,  pink,  lav- 
ender, and  white;  tourmaline,  blue,  green,  and  red;  orthoclase,  albite, 
graphic  granite;  lepidolite,  pink,  green  and  lavender;  muscovite,  quartz 
crystals,  steatite,  and  other  clays. 

The  products  so  far  noted  are  tourmaline,  kunzite,  and  quartz  crystals. 
Giant  pow^der  was  used  entirely,  and  it  was  found  to  be  the  only 
explosive  that  was  satisfactory.  Two  men  have  been  working  nearly 
all  the  time;  but  during  the  last  six  months  very  little  of  the  precious 
stones  rewarded  their  labors.  There  is  no  water  or  timber  on  the 
property,  and  the  nearest  water  is  about  one  mile  away. 


ILL.  Xo    :n.    PALA  CHIEF  MINE,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY— POCKET  LINE  AT  THE  POINT 
WHERE  THE  LARGEST  POCKET  OF  KUNZITE  CRYSTALS  OCCURRED. 

The  section  and  township  in  which  the  mine  is  located  were  not 
available,  but  it  lies  east  from  Pala,  at  a  distance  of  3  miles,  and  the 
workings  can  be  seen  from  the  towm  of  Pala,  which  is  the  nearest  base 
of  supplies. 

Tourmaline  Queen  Mine. — This  mine,  owned  by  Mr.  Frank  Salmons, 
John  (iiddens,  Pedro  Pciletch,  and  Bernardo  Heriart,  is  situated  near 
the  summit  on  the  northeast  slope  of  Pala  Chief  Mountain,  at  an  altitude 
of  1450  feet.  It  is  about  3^  miles  north  by  a  little  east  from  Pala,  San 
Diego  County.  The  section  and  quarter  were  not  obtainable.  The 
mine  was  located  as  a  quartz  claim  by  the  above-named  parties,  in 


128  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,   of    CALIFORNIA. 

March,  1903.  The  vein  is  a])out  14  feet  wide,  and  dips  to  the  southwest 
15  degrees. 

Very  little  has  been  done  on  the  property,  but  scalping  work  in  the 
nature  of  an  open  cut  60  feet  wide,  and  entering  the  vein  to  a  depth  of 
about  10  feet,  produced  in  weight  approximately  80  pounds  of  gem- 
tourmaline  crystals.  The  colors  are  yellow,  green  of  several  different 
shades,  light  pink,  ruby-red,  and  black.  In  examining  the  ledge,  18 
inches  lying  between  the  diorite  hanging  wall  and  the  coarse  pegmatite 
appears  to  be  an  infiltration  of  decomposed  feldspar,  gradually  altering  to 
pegmatite.  Below  this  are  about  3  feet  of  coarse,  granular  pegmatite 
(or  granite),  consisting  of  crystallized  quartz,  feldspar,  and  muscovite 
uiica,  with  impurities  of  black  tourmaline  in  fan-shaped  crystallizations, 
and  essonite  garnets  (microscopic),  wnth  occasional  crystals  of  biotite 
mica  and  hornblende.  Below  this  again,  and  gradually  altering  from 
the  above,  are  masses  of  graphic  granite,  incrusted  at  the  lower  edge 
with  albite,  in  which  the  gem-tourmaline  seems  to  have  a  root  or 
extremity.  Between  the  albite  and  the  line-rock  (or  granite)  are  large 
pockets  filled  with  rose-  and  lavender-colored  muscovite,  and  decomposed 
spars  in  the  nature  of  a  whitish  or  pink  clay;  in  these  pockets  the  gems 
are  found,  broken  in  many  instances,  and  more  or  less  altered.  Many 
crystals  were  observed  with  an  exterior  of  opaque  green,  while  the 
interior  was  a  rich  pink  or  ruby-red,  affording  beautiful  gems. 

The  ledge  has  been  prospected  for  about  250  feet,  and  shows  gem 
indications  wherever  it  has  been  opened.  The  hanging  wall  is  a  coarse, 
greenish  and  grayish  diorite,  which  is  the  general  formation  of  the  entire 
belt.  The  foot  wall  is  the  same,  though  showing  more  alteration.  Both 
Giant  and  Judson  powders  have  been  used,  although  from  the  hardness 
and  toughness  of  the  rock,  the  former  was  found  to  be  the  best. 

After  the  pocket  material  has  been  extracted,  screens  are  used,  by 
which  the  dirt  and  fine,  worthless  stuff  are  eliminated.  The  matter 
left  in  the  screens  is  then  examined  for  gems,  and  afterwards  washed. 
Two  of  the  owners  have  performed  all  the  work  so  far  accomplished, 
and  no  other  men  have  been  employed.  Active  operations  will  again 
be  resumed,  but  nothing  is  being  done  at  present.  The  same  parties 
have  filed  on  a  spring  350  feet  northeast  of  the  present  workings,  and 
abundant  water  for  mining  and  domestic  purposes  has  been  developed. 

The  minerals  noted  in  above  claim  are:  tourmaline,  albite,  orthoclase, 
muscovite,  lepidolite,  kaolin,  talcose  clays,  essonite  garnets,  hornblende, 
and  indications  of  epidote. 

The  lower  part  of  the  ledge  is  composed  of  a  fine,  granular  mica-less 
granite,  of  a  gray  color,  banded  at  intervals  of  from  3  to  6  inches  with 
minute  essonite  garnets,  whence  the  name  line-rock.  As  is  usually  the 
case  in  all  ledges  of  pegmatite  bearing  precious  stones  in  this  region, 
this  lower  layer  of  the  ledge  has  approximately  the  same  width  as  that 


GEMS,    JEMT:LERS'    materials,   etc.,    of    CALIFORNIA.  129 

of  the  formation  from  the  pocket  layer  or  center  to  the  top,  and  lies 
directly  in  contact  with  the  diorite  foot  wall. 

Tourmaline  King-  Mine. — This  mine  is  owned  by  F.  B.  Schuyler, 
Mrs.  F.  B.  Schuyler,  D.  G.  Harrington,  and  Mrs.  H.  E.  Harrington,  of 
Oceanside,Cal.,  and  is  situated  on  the  north  slope  of  Pala  Chief  Mountain, 
about  three  hundred  yards  from  the  summit,  at  an  altitude  of  1540  feet. 
The  mine  was  located  in  March,  1903,  by  the  above-named  parties,  but 
very  little  work  has  been  done,  rendering  it  practically  impossible  to 
make  a  conclusive  report.  The  mine  is  4  miles  directly  north  of  Pala, 
and  is  the  last  mine  so  far  discovered  at  the  western  extremity  of  the 
Pala  mineral  belt. 

The  vein  dips  to  the  southwest  at  an  angle  of  16^  degrees.  It  presents 
an  average  breadth  of  7  feet,  and  is  essentially  coarse  pegmatite,  but 
shows  evidence  of  crushing  and  is  badly  broken  in  many  places.  The 
hanging  wall  is  a  coarse  gray  diorite,  and  at  the  place  where  the 
work  has  been  done  lies  over  about  15  inches  of  coarse  broken  feldspar 
and  lepidolite  mica.  It  is  in  this  stratum  that  the  gems  appear,  which 
is  contrary  to  the  general  pocket  formation  of  the  Pala  district.  Tour- 
maline was  the  only  gem-stone  noted,  and  occurred  in  pencils,  dissem- 
inated through  this  altered  mass  of  decomposed  spar,  and  apparently 
out  of  place.  Concretions  of  albite,  coated  with  beautiful  purple  mus- 
covite,  were  found  loose  in  the  soil.  Some  quartz  crystals  and  essonite 
garnets,  badly  shattered,  were  also  seen  in  the  float.  The  ledge  at  this 
place  was  too  badly  broken  to  note  the  exact  character  of  the  pegma- 
tite, and  the  "line-rock,"  or  lower  stratum,  had  not  been  uncovered,  so 
that  its  character  could  not  be  determined.  No  work  has  been  done  on 
the  property  for  several  months,  and  nothing  satisfactory  could  be 
learned  as  to  when  work  would  be  resumed.  About  ten  pounds  of 
crystals  were  secured  in  a  cut  12  feet  wide,  and  barely  scalping  off  the 
top  layer  of  earth. 

Naylor-Vanderburg  Mine. — This  mine,  also  situated  near  Pala,  is 
owned  by  Fred  M.  Sickler  and  M.  M.  Sickler;  altitude,  1400  feet,  on  the 
eastern  slope  of  Mount  Heriart.  The  location  was  made  by  Mr.  Sickler 
in  February,  1903,  soon  after  he  had  discovered  that  the  pink  and  white 
crystals  which  he  had  found  on  the  mountain  side  were  not  tourma- 
lines, as  they  had  been  called,  or  any  stone  known  to  local  mineral- 
ogists. After  much  trouble  and  expense,  Mr.  Sickler  considered  the  stone 
of  uncertain  value,  but  continued  his  investigations  and  at  length  sent 
a  piece  to  the  writer  at  New  York,  who  determined  it  as  spodumene, 
and  after  whom  it  was  named  kunzite,  by  Prof.  Charles  Baskerville, 
of  North  Carolina,  as  a  new  gem-stone — the  first  occurrence  of  trans- 
parent pink  or  lavender  spodumene  in  the  world. 
9— MB 


130 


GEMS,    JEWEI.ERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 


The  ledge  at  the  point  examined  was  16  feet  in  width,  but  badly- 
broken.  At  this  place  an  open  cut  entering  the  vein  to  a  depth  of  22 
feet  and  about  30  feet  in  width,  has  produced  approximately  five 
pounds  of  perfect  gem  stone;  although  several  pieces  have  been  found 
in  adjacent  workings,  this  seems  to  be  the  best  part  of  the  ledge. 

In  examination  of  the  mine,  the  hanging  wall  is  gray  orbicular  dio- 
rite.  Between  this  and  the  ledge  itself,  an  18-inch  layer  of  decomposed 
feldspar  and  clay  was  found  as  a  gouge.  About  7  feet  of  coarse  granitic 
pegmatite  forms  the  upper  part  of  the  ledge,  altering  into  decomposed 
layers  of  albite  and  orthoclase.     In  this  latter  are  small  pockets,  seldom 


NAYLOR-VANDKRBURG   MINE,  HERIART   MOUNTAIN,  SAN  DIEGO 
COUNTY— VIEW  LOOKING   SOUTHWEST. 


larger  than  a  man's  hand,  in  which  one  or  two  crystals  of  kunzite  will 
be  found,  completely  covered  with  yellow,  pink,  or  white  clay.  No 
metallic  stains  are  found  in  the  upper  part  of  the  ledge,  but  the  lower 
beds  of  granitic  rock,  carrying  interlineations  of  garnet,  are  in  many 
places  stained. with  manganese,  and  show  large  crystallizations  of  trip- 
lite,  from  which  it  is  evident  the  kunzite  receives  its  coloring. 

The  vein  has  a  dip  of  10  degrees  ta  the  west,  and  extends  the  full 
length  of  the  location,  1500  feet,  joining  the  Caterina  mine  on  the 
south. 

The  minerals  noticed  are:  muscovite,  pink,  green,  and  lavender,  in 


-VAXDERBI-RG  MINE.  SHOWING  WORKINGS. 


..     X  VYLOR-VANDERBURG  MIXE.  HERIART  MOrXTAiy.  SAX  DIEGO  COUNTY. 
•XA.YLOR  ROCK."  SHOWING  PEGMATITE  ABOVE.  ZONE  OF  PuCKETs 
AND  BANDED    •LINE-ROCK"   BELOW. 


132 


GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF   CALIFORNIA, 


very  large  scales;  niontmorillonite  and  steatite  talcs;  pink,  green,  and 
white  spodumene;  and  black  tourmaline,  but  no  gems  of  that  stone. 
Albite  and  orthoclase,  Avith  some  potash  feldspars,  are  the  mother  of 
crystallization.  It  has  been  reported  that  spinel  has  also  been  dis- 
covered in  this  mine;  associated  with  it  were  deep-colored  green  beryl 
and  columbite. 

There  is  no  water  or  timber  on  the  property.  This  mining  claim  is 
embraced  within  the  boundaries  of  the  Pala  Indian  Reservation,  but 
was  located  before  the  reservation  was  declared.     The  output  of  the 


I 


ILL.  No.  35.    MOUNT  HERIART.    (Taken  from  south,  one  mile.) 
Cross  (X)  shows  Naylor-Vanderburg  mine.    Square  ( D )  shows  Caterina  mine. 

mine  since  the  beginning  of  work  has  been  about  ten  pounds  of  gem- 
kunzite,  no  other  minerals  having  been  disposed  of.  Some  pink  and 
green  beryls  were  noticed,  but  nothing  has  been  developed  in  that  line. 

Other  claims  and  openings  on  Mount  Heriart  are  enumerated  in  the 
body  of  this  Bulletin,  this  one  being  thus  far  the  most  important. 
The  following  are  among  the  principal  of  these  openings: — 

Heriart  Claim,  owned  by  F.  M.  and  M.  M.  Sickler.  A  tunnel  has 
been  run  a  distance  of  40  feet.  A  pegmatite  lithia-bearing  ledge  was 
encountered,  from  1^  to  4  feet  in  width.  The  ledge  occurs  in  a  granite 
dike,  which  in  turn  traverses  the  diorite.     The  granite  dike  is  about  100 


GEMS,   jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  133 

feet  in  thickness,  and  can  be  traced  for  over  2000  feet.  The  lepidolite 
occurs  in  white  and  lilac  colors,  and  is  often  full  of  radiated  tourmalines, 
both  pink  and  green.  Large  amounts  of  muscovite  are  often  encased 
in  the  lepidolite.  Amblygonite  is  also  found.  The  tourmalines  are  of 
various  shades  of  green,  and  some  blue  and  pink  crystals  occur,  but  as 
yet  have  not  been  found  in  large  quantities.  Crystals  of  albite  and 
orthoclase  occur  in  the  pockets.  About  two  tons  of  lepidolite  have  been 
extracted  from  the  tunnel. 

San  Pedro  Claim. — On  the  San  Pedro  claim,  owned  by  Pedro  Peiletch 
and  Bernardo  Heriart,  the  Naylor-Vanderburg  ledge  has  been  cut.  Some 
kunzite,  tourmaline,  and  beryl  have  been  found,  besides  lepidolite.  This 
ledge  is  exposed  for  nearly  a  mile  in  length.  At  four  different  points  it 
has  been  cut.  exposing  kunzite  and  lepidolite. 

Caterina  Mine,  owned  by  Bernardo  Heriart  and  M.  M.  Sickler.  A  cut 
has  been  made  40  feet  in  length  and  80  feet  in  width,  exposing  a  ledge 
of  lepidolite  2^  feet  in  thickness.  About  six  tons  of  lepidolite  have 
been  extracted  from  this  cut.  Some  kunzite  and  spodumene  were  found, 
the  greater  part  of  which  was  float.  Other  gems  found  were  pink  beryl 
and  a  few  tourmalines. 


MESA  GRANDER 

The  Mesa  Grande  mines  are  situated  on  the  hill  or  mountain  of  that 
name,  and  are  the  most  southern  of  the  gem-tourmaline  localities  in 
the  region.  The  ridges  stretch  along  northwestward  to  the  Pala  and 
Agua  Tibia  mountains,  already  described;  to  the  west  is  another  locality 
for  tourmalines  at  Vista,  and  northward  are,  first,  the  Oak  Grove  loca- 
tion, and  farther  on  those  near  Coahuila. 

Several  mines  have  been  opened  on  the  Mesa  Grande,  the  Himalaya 
Mining  Company  occupying  the  west  side  of  the  ridge,  and  the  San 
Diego  Tourmaline  Company  the  east  side.  The  latter  is  working  a 
property  opened  by  Mr.  Gail  Lewis,  at  the  time  of  the  first  discoveries 
on  this  mountain;  he  had  but  small  success  with  it  at  first,  but  perse- 
vered, and  reached  a  fine  pocket  of  gem  material  just  before  his  option 
expired.  The  mine  has  been  developed  more  elaborately  than  any 
other,  and  carried  much  deeper.  Fine  gem-tourmalines  are  taken  out 
here  from  a  depth  of  200  feet — the  greatest  depth  at  which  these  gems 
are  obtained  anywhere  in  the  world. 

Himalaya  Mine. — This  mine,  owned  by  the  Himalaya  Mining  Com- 
pany, of  New  York,  is  situated  in  the  E.  ^  of  Sec.  17,  T.  11  S.,  R.  2  E., 
S.  B.  M.,  at  an  altitude  of  3800  feet.  The  property  is  about  4^  miles 
northwest  of  the  Mesa  Grande  store,  and  on  the  watershed  between  San 


134 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 


Luis  Rey  River  and  Mesa  Grande  Creek.  For  many  years  it  has  been 
known  that  beautiful  colored  stones  existed  on  this  ridge,  but  after 
repeated  failures  and  with  no  determination  of  quality  and  value,  the 
people  of  the  locality  gave  up  the  property  as  worthless.  At  length  an 
agent  of  Mr.  Tannenbaum,  Heighway  by  name,  found  the  locality  and 
recognized  the  stones  as  tourmalines.  This  led  to  developments  by  the 
Himalaya  Mining  Company,  and  the  present  output  is  the  result. 

During  1904  about  six  tons  of  rough  tourmaline  were  shipped  to  the 
company's  lapidary  in  New  York;  of  this  amount,  300  or  400  pounds 
were  fine  nodules  and  pencils  of  the  very  highest  grade. 

Surface  or  bench  digging  has  been  followed  exclusively,  although  a 


HIMALAYA  TorilMALINE   MINE,  MESA  GRANDE,  SAN  DIEGO  COUXTA'. 


tunnel  is  being  run  to  tap  the  ledges  at  the  150-foot  level.  Both 
hanging  and  foot  walls  are  of  hard  blue  diorite,  and  the  ledge  is  of  fine 
crystallized  pegmatite  not  over  18  inches  in  width,  and  dipping  at  from 
26  to  33  degrees  southwest. 

In  working  this  ledge,  pay  material  has  been  in  sight  continuously, 
and  at  no  time  has  a  barren  piece  of  ground  been  encountered. 

The  upper  pegmatite  is  usually  stained  with  lithia  and  manganese, 
and  large  masses  of  lepidolite  are  associated  with  tourmalines.  The 
pockets  are  large  and  filled  with  talc  and  hydrous  micas,  in  which  the 
gem  crystals  occur  embedded,  many  showing  peculiar  etchings.  The 
ledge  has  been  uncovered  for  about  700  feet,  and  to  an  average  depth 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA.  135 

of  15  feet.  These  open  cuts,  however,  are  proving  dangerous  and 
will  have  to  be  abandoned  as  soon  as  the  rainy  season  has  soaked  the 
walls  on  either  side. 

Among  the  minerals  noted  were  orthoclase,  albite,  lepidolite,  amblyg- 
onite,  small  clear  pieces  of  spodumene,  muscovite,  tourmaline  (black, 
green,  blue,  deep  red,  and  rose),  pink  and  aquamarine  beryl,  horn- 
blende and  epidotic  rocks,  spessartite  and  essonite  garnet,  large  and 
very  transparent  quartz  crystals,  talc  and  hydrous  micas,  and  a  dark 
brownish  transparent  crystal,  very  dense  (specific  gravity,  10),  and  a 
hardness  of  5^,  which  has  not  yet  been  determined.  This  mineral  is 
very  rare,  and  only  a  few  pieces  have  been  found. 

Wood,  water,  and  all  natural  advantages  are  of  the  best;  and  a  good 
dwelling-house,  barn,  tool-houses,  and  blacksmith  shop,  as  well  as  a 
windmill  with  water  piped  to  all,  constitvite  the  improvements. 

From  four  to  ten  men  are  constantly  employed  about  the  mine.  The 
gross  receipts  for  1904  are  estimated  at  $30,000. 

San  Diego  Tourmaline  Mining-  Company. — The  mines  are  situated 
in  the  E.  ^  of  Sec.  17,  T.  11  S.,  R.  1  E.,  S.  B.  M.,and  about  4  miles  north- 
west of  the  Mesa  Grande  postoffice.  Considerable  work  has  been  done 
on  this  property  since  1901,  perhaps  more  development  work  than  on 
any  other  gem  mine  in  southern  California.  In  the  first  place,  a  tunnel 
120  feet  long  was  run,  tapping  the  ledge  at  64  feet.  From  this,  drifts 
were  run  about  150  feet  in  either  direction,  and  the  ledge  matter  was 
stoped  to  the  surface.  Tourmalines  in  paying  quantities  were  extracted, 
and  from  this  output  the  San  Diego  Tourmaline  Mining  Company  was 
organized.  Later  a  tunnel  was  run  286  feet  in  length,  tapping  the 
ledges  at  from  145  to  170  feet,  and  drifts  on  two  ledges  which  were 
struck  from  20  to  30  feet.  The  ledge  matter  is  a  fine-grained  pegmatite, 
showing  on  both  top  and  bottom  black  tourmalines  in  fan-shaped 
crystallizations.  Near  the  center,  at  intervals,  pockets  occur  in  which 
fine  gem-tourmalines  are  found,  but  not  as  rich  as  in  the  adjoining 
claim,  which  is  the  property  of  the  Himalaya  Mining  Company. 

This  company  has  employed  from  three  to  seven  men  continuously. 
They  have  a  lapidary  of  their  own  in  San  Diego,  where  most  of  their 
product  is  cut. 

Wood,  water,  and  all  facilities  are  at  hand.  Giant  powder  has  been 
vised  exclusively,  and  has  not  resulted  in  the  breaking  or  destroying  of 
any  crystals.  The  ledges  are  over  18  inches  in  width,  and  are  generally 
of  a  character  which  would  not  be  prospected,  looking  barren  and 
worthless,  but  the  locality  seems  to  be  highly  mineralized  and  many 
ledges  show  gem  crystals. 

Other  mines  are  being  opened  in  the  vicinity,  and  probably  during 
1905  there  will  be  a  great  development  in  this  particular  section. 


136 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA. 


Esmeralda  Mine,  Mesa  Grande.— The  Esmeralda  mine,  owned 
by  J.  D.  Stone  and  H.  E.  Dougherty,  both  of  Mesa  Grande,  Cal.,  is 
situated  about  5  miles  northwest  of  the  Mesa  Grande  store,  and  1^ 
miles  west  of  the  Himalaya  mine,  and  on  the  eastern  slope  of  the 
Temescal  Valley,  in  the  S.  E.  i  of  the  S.  E.  i  of  Sec.  13,  T.  11  S.,  R.  1  E., 
S.  B.  M.  The  mine  was  discovered  May  7,  1904,  by  Mr.  Dougherty,  and 
was  acquired  by  location  as  a  quartz  ledge.     The  altitude  is  3470  feet. 

The  course  of  the  ledge  is  northeast  and  southwest;  but  where  the 
work  is  being  done  a  spur  running  southwest  and  northeast  at  right 
angles  with  the  main  ledge  has  produced  all  the  gems  yet  found.     The 


ILL.  No.  37.     ESMERALDA  MINE,  MESA  GRANDE-TUNNEL   LOOKING   EAST. 
GEM-TOURMALINE. 

ledge  dips  to  the  southwest  at  an  angle  of  26  degrees  and  is  about  10 
feet  in  width  at  the  point  opened.  The  claim  embraces  one  large  ledge 
and  numerous  stringers,  showing  gem  indications.  The  work  at  present 
performed  consists  of  two  open  cuts  crossing  the  vein  and  exposing  it  to 
a  depth  of  7^  feet;  a  tunnel  60  feet  below  the  surface  workings  tapped 
the  ledge  at  28  feet;  but  no  further  work  has  been  done  in  the  tunnel, 
and  no  gems  were  found  in  the  formation  at  that  place. 

Both  hanging  and  foot  walls  are  composed  of  a  coarse,  crystallized 
hornblendic  diorite  of  a  rich  grass-green  color,  resembling  a  serpentine. 
The  ledge  itself  is  pegmatite,  and  is  faulted  in  several  places  by  vol- 
canic action.     The  pegmatite  is  of  the  coarse  granitic  type  met  with 


GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OP    CALIFORNIA.  137 

in  nearly  all  the  gem  mines  in  the  southern  belt.  The  pockets  are 
quite  large,  and  contain  quartz  crystals,  orthoclase,  and  albite  in  beau- 
tiful transparent  crystallizations.  Lepidolite  in  pieces  weighing  from 
50  to  300  pounds  also  occurs  in  conjunction  with  the  pocket  material. 
Tourmaline  is  the  only  perfect  gem  found,  and  occurs  in  pink,  bright 
red,  azure  blue,  aquamarine  blue,  and  a  peculiar  shade  of  green  blue, 
which  cuts  to  a  stone  in  which  one  set  of  facets  shows  a  sapphire  blue, 
and  another  set  a  rich  emerald  green.  Crystals  of  this  character  have 
not  been  noticed  in  any  other  tourmaline  mine  in  southern  California, 
although  fine  blues  and  greens  exist  in  other  places.  With  the  lepido- 
lite is  a  granular  blue  and  lavender  mineral  which  could  not  be  deter- 
mined, but  apparently  is  a  lithia  compound. 

In  examining  the  ledge,  2^  feet  of  pegmatite  were  found  overlying 
the  pocket  stratum.  The  pockets  themselves  were  filled  with  soil  and 
foreign  matter,  rendering  it  impossible  to  say  exactly  what  the  nature 
of  the  softer  material  that  once  filled  them  had  been.  Some  pockets 
were  hollow,  containing  nothing  but  quartz  crystals,  while  near  them 
were  pockets  absolutely  filled  with  tourmaline  pencils.  The  lower  strata 
or  line-rock  of  these  ledges  is  also  pegmatitic,  although  of  much  finer 
crystallization  than  the  top.  About  250  feet  southwest  of  the  tourmaline 
workings,  the  ledge  is  badly  broken  and  shows  only  in  places,  in  the 
nature  of  blowouts  of  pegmatite  and  quartz.  In  some  of  these  blowouts 
golden  and  aquamarine  beryl  were  found  frozen  in  the  formation. 
Many  of  these  pieces  were  of  excellent  gem  quality,  and  the  owners 
signify  their  intention  of  doing  considerable  development  work  at  these 
places.  About  $300  has  been  expended,  producing  about  20  pounds  of 
tourmaline  of  gem  quality.  As  in  many  other  cases  of  prospecting  and 
mining  for  gems  in  southern  California,  lack  of  funds  has  greatly 
hindered  the  proper  development  and  exploiting  of  this  mine. 

There  is  neither  timber  nor  water  on  the  mine,  but  an  abundance  of 
timber  can  be  secured  within  half  a  mile.  Also,  water  can  be  piped  to 
the  property  from  springs  on  the  hill  above. 

The  mine  next  described  does  not  furnish  either  gem-tourmaline  or 
kunzite,  but  is  worked  as  a  beryl  mine,  some  fine  material  having  been 
obtained.  It  lies  about  half  way  between  Pala  and  Mesa  Grande,  on 
Palomar  Mountain,  which  is  a  spur  or  foothill  of  the  Smith  Mountain 
ridge,  with  which  Pala  Mountain  is  closely  related,  and  hence  it  is 
considered  here. 

The  Mack  Mine.— Located  at  Rincon,  San  Diego  County,  in  Sec.  25, 
T.  10  S.,  Pv.  1  W.,  S.  B.  M.  This  mine  was  discovered  in  November,  1903, 
by  Mr.  J.  M.  Mack  and  an  Indian  named  J.  Calec,  near  the  Rincon 
Indian  Reservation,  at  an  altitude  of  1960  feet  (aneroid).     The  mine  is 


138 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC..    OF    CALIFORNL\. 


on  tlie  Pala  belt,  9^  miles  southeast  of  Pala;  the  ledge  has  a  dip  of  45 
degrees  to  the  southwest,  and  is  exposed  on  the  hanging  wall  for  about 
75  feet.  Work  has  been  entirely  confined  to  the  surface,  and  but  little 
gem  material  has  been  taken  out,  although  several  pounds  of  peculiar 
opaque,  deep-blue  beryl  were  extracted.  These  crystals  are  different 
from  any  yet  found  in  San  Diego  County,  and  should  be  analyzed. 
Mr.  Mack  contemplates  a  great  deal  of  development  work,  however,  and 
during  1905  it  will  be  possible  to  determine  whether  or  not  this  locality 
will  produce  the  emerald,  as  indications  are  very  favorable. 

Tlie  ledge  is  essentially  pegmatite,  with  an  average  width  of  from 


ILL.  No  38.    MACK  BERYL  MINE,  RINCON,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY-VIEW  FROM  THE  SOUTH, 
SHOWING  MEN  AT  WORK  TAKING  OUT  BERYL  AT  THE  TOP  OF  THE  LEDGE. 

5  to  6  feet,  with  a  gray  granite  foot  wall.  The  hanging  wall  was  hard 
to  determine,  as  a  great  deal  of  matter  from  the  ledge  had  fallen  down 
and  covered  it  at  nearly  every  place,  but  was  apparently  a  blue  and 
gray  diorite.  The  pockets  are  very  narrow  and  are  confined  exclusively 
to  a  bony  crystallization  of  orthoclase,  and  most  of  the  beryls  found 
were  frozen  into  this  crystallization.  Wherever  a  pocket  was  found  in 
which  clays  or  other  soft  substances  were  the  matrix,  the  crystals  were 
exceptionally  fine  and  could  be  cut  into  perfect  gems. 

So  little  work  has  been  done  that  it  is  hardly  of  importance  to  report 
this  locality  if  it  were  not  for  the  peculiarity  of   the  crystals  found. 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,    ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNLV. 


139 


The  owners  would  not  give  the  valuation  of  their  specimens  or  cut 
stones  sold,  hence  the  product  can  not  be  estimated.  There  is  a  small 
spring  of  water  on  the  property,  and  some  sycamore  and  oak  timber. 
The  exact  locality  is  li  miles  north  of  the  Rincon  store,  in  the  first 
caiion  east  of  said  store. 

Since  the  preceding  data  were  collected,  fine  gem  beryls  have  been 
obtained  at  this  mine,  which  are  referred  to  in  the  body  of  this 
Bulletin. 

South  of  all  these  localities,  lies  a  separate  group  of  occurrences  of 
garnet,  with  beryl  and  in  some  cases  topaz,  centering  around  Ramona, 


.^■'' 


ILL.    Xo    :59.     MACK    BERYL   MINE.   RINCOX,   SAN   DIEGO    COUNTY— PORTION    OF 

LEDGE,  ABOUT  EIGHT  FEET  THICK,  SHOWING  COARSE  PEGMATITE 

ABOVE  AND   "LINE-ROCK"   BELOW. 

and  also  the  garnet  country  far  to  the  southeastward  in  the  vicinity  of 
Jacumba.  These  suggest  a  parallel  line  or  belt  of  garnet  and  beryl, 
southwest  of  the  tourmaline-kunzite  line  and  parallel  to  it;  but  it  is 
not  possible  yet  to  say  how  far  this  idea  may  be  correct.  The  facts,  as 
thus  far  known,  are  as  follows:  The  garnets  belong  to  the  variety 
essonite,  mainly,  although  many  of  them  are  called  spessartite  (man- 
ganese garnet);  but  the  writer  is  not  satisfied  that  this  latter  species 
really  occurs.  Both  varieties  are  often  called  hyacinth  by  jewelers,  and 
may  present,  as  at  many  of  these  points,  rich  orange  and  fulvous 
shades  between  red  and  yellow. 


140 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNLV. 


RAMONA  DISTRICT, 

ABC  Mine.— The  ABC  mine,  owned  by  Mr.  Henry  Daggett,  of  San 
Diego,  and  Mr.  Alex.  Mcintosh,  of  Ramona,  was  discovered  November  1, 
1903,  and  is  situated  in  the  S.  W.  i  of  the  N.  W.  i  of  Sec.  8,  T.  13  S., 
R.  1  E.,  S.  B.  M.,  and  at  an  altitude  of  1950  feet.  The  property  was 
acquired  by  location  by  the  above-named  parties  on  government  land. 
It  is  about  4  miles  northeast  of  Ramona,  San  Diego  County,  which  is 
the  nearest  base  of  supplies.     The  vein  hag  an  average  width  of  7  feet, 


LL.  No.  -to.     RAMONA   DISTRICT,  SAN   DIEGO  COUNTY— GENERAL  VIEW  OF  LEDGES, 
LOOKING  NORTH.     TOPAZ,  GARNET,  BERYL,  AND  TOURMALINE. 

and  runs  north  35  degrees  west,  with  a  dip  of  12  degrees  to  the  south- 
west.    The  claim  embraces  two  ledges,  very  promising  in  .character. 

Three  places  have  been  opened  on  the  ledge  at  the  eastern  extremity 
of  the  claim,  and  at  intervals  of  about  50  feet.  The  first  two  are  in  the 
nature  of  open  cuts,  in  which  the  ordinary  scalping  process  was 
employed,  and  gems  taken  from  broken  ledge  matter  and  soil.  The 
principal  working,  however,  consists  of  a  tunnel  18  feet  long,  from 
which  a  stope  following  the  pay  shoot  for  45  feet  has  been  run.  The 
work  is  very  crude,  and  no  system  seems  to  have  been  employed  in  the 
mining. 

Both  foot  and  hanging  walls  are  of  a  gray  decomposed  diorite,  in 


GEMS,    JEWELERS     MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 


141 


which  the  feldspar  has  been  much  altered,  and  some  quartz  and  biotite 
were  found.  The  ledge  is  essentially  3  feet  of  coarse,  poorly  crystallized 
pegmatite,  stained  in  some  places  with  iron  and  manganese.  Man}' 
black  tourmaline  crystals  with  terminals  pointing  directly  toward  the 
pockets  were  observed,  somewhat  altered  to  quartz  and  muscovite. 
Below  the  pegmatite  is  a  stratum  varying  in  width  from  1  to  6  inches^ 
composed  of  a  grayish  or  whitish  decomposed  orthoclase,  with  dissem- 
inated crystals  of  muscovite  having  a  pinkish  and  lavender  tinge  on  the 
outer  edges.     It  is  in  this  stratum,  coated  with  albite  and  clay,  that  the 


ILL.  No.  4L     ABC  MINE,  RAMONA,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY— LOOKING    NORTHEAST. 
PINK  BERYL. 

pink  beryls  are  found,  generally  solitary  in  a  pocket,  with  two  or  three 
large  blackish-green  tourmaline  crystals.  Quartz  crystals  were  observed 
both  on  the  top  and  bottom  of  this  stratum,  but  not  in  the  pockets  with 
the  beryls.  It  was  also  noticed  that  the  pink-tinged  muscovite  was  not 
in  contact  with  the  beryl  crystals.  Contrary  to  what  is  usual  in  ledges 
of  this  character,  the  edges  of  the  pockets  do  not  touch  between  the 
upper  and  lower  strata,  but  continue  through  the  entire  working  with- 
out interruption,  although  widening  and  narrowing  in  places.  No 
other  minerals  were  found  existing  in  the  same  pocket  (or  rounded 
mass  of  clay  and  decomposed  spar). 

Underlying  this  beryl-bearing  stratum  is  about  18  inches  of  a  soft 


142  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,   of    CALIFORNIA. 

albite,  angular  in  crystallization,  and  with  numerous  holes  penetrating 
the  mass.  In  these  cavities  minute  essonite  garnets  were  seen,  also 
spessartite  (?)  and  hundreds  of  serrated  black  tourmalines,  penetrat- 
ing in  every  direction.  No  gems,  however,  were  found  among  these. 
This  stratum  of  albite  lies  frozen  to  the  line-rock,  or  micaless  granite, 
constituting  the  base  of  the  ledge.  The  line-rock  is  coarse,  and  shows 
less  interlineations  than  at  any  other  mine  so  far  observed  in  this 
locality.  In  places,  large  portions  of  graphic  granite  occur,  embedded 
in  the  upper  strata  of  ordinary  pegmatite.  In  this  graphic  granite 
small  cavities  were  noticed,  containing  steatite  and  montmorillonite, 
with  lithia  mica  occurring  at  intervals.  Very  minute  whitish  crystals 
were  found  in  these  talcs,  which  appeared  to  be  topaz,  although  too 
small  for  identification.  In  some  places,  also,  where  quartz  crystals 
were  found,  disseminated  crystals  of  pink  muscovite  occur,  embedded 
and  penetrating. 

The  minerals  noted  were  pink  beryl;  green,  dark  green,  and  black 
tourmaline  crystals;  essonite  and  the  so-called  spessartite,  sparingly, 
lepidolite,  muscovite,  and  biotite  micas,  albite  and  orthoclase  feldspars, 
montmorillonite,  steatite,  kaolin,  and  stains  of  manganese  and  iron. 

Giant  powder  was  used  exclusively.  Altogether  about  $500  has  been 
expended,  producing  several  pounds  of  pink  beryl,  the  exact  amount 
not  being  available  at  present.  Some  of  these  stones  have  been  cut  by 
local  lapidaries,  and  show  a  rose-petal  pink.  They  possess  consider- 
able brilliancy,  and  are  remarkably  free  from  hairs,  flaws,  or  bubbles. 
One  cut  stone,  weighing  30  carats,  and  without  a  flaw,  was  obtained 
from  this  mine. 

Little  Three  Mine. — This  mine  is  owned  by  Mr.  Dan  Mcintosh,  of 
Ramona,  Mr.  H.  W.  Robb,  of  Escondido,  and  Mr.  Chas.  F.  Schnack. 
This  prospect  was  discovered  in  May,  1903,  by  Mr.  Robb,  who  had  secured 
a  permit  lo  prospect  on  land  owned  by  Messrs.  Mcintosh  and  Ferguson. 
It  is  situated  in  the  N.  E.  i  of  S.  E.  i  of  Sec.  8,  T.  13  S.,  R.  2  E.,  S.  B.  M., 
and  is  about  4^  miles  northeast  of  Ramona,  which  is  the  nearest  source 
of  supplies. 

The  vein  runs  northeast  and  southwest,  at  an  angle  of  north  35 
degrees  west,  and  dips  to  the  south  at  an  angle  of  20  degrees.  The 
average  width  of  the  vein  is  4^  feet;  the  altitude  is  1940  feet.  The  work 
so  far  consists  of  open  cuts;  the  vein  being  naturally  exposed  for  about 
60  feet  on  the  hanging  wall,  it  has  been  possible  to  commerice  work 
Avhere  the  vein  enters  the  ground,  and  break  open  the  ledge  of  the 
pegmatite  to  where  the  pockets  occur  in  the  center.  About  60  square 
yards  of  the  vein  have  been  uncovered  in  this  manner,  showing  some 
very  interesting  conditions  of  formation.  At  the  southeast  extremity 
of  the  workings,  "spessartite"  garnet  was  encountered,  associated  with 


ILL.  No.  42.     LITTLE  THREE  MINE,  RAMOXA,  SAX  DIEGO  COUNTY— SORTING  TOPAZ, 
BERYL.  AND  ESSONITE  GARNET, 


43.     LITTLE  THREE  MINE.  RAMONA,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY— LOWER  WORKINGS 
AT  EAST  END.    TOPAZ,  BERYL,  AND  ESSONITE  GARNET. 


144  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,   op    CALIFORNIA. 

small  green  beryls  in  pockets  of  decomposed  albite,  orthoclase,  and 
muscovite  mica.  In  this  portion  of  the  ledge  no  tourmalines  of  any 
color,  nor  any  topaz,  were  found  in  the  pockets;  but  black  tourmalines 
occurred  very  thickly  interspersed  in  the  upper  or  pegmatite  portion  of 
the  ledge  at  this  place.  Also,  the  "line-rock,"  or  micaless  granite, 
forming  the  base  of  the  ledge  has  parallel,  wave-like  bands  of  minute 
black  tourmaline.  The  associated  minerals  at  this  part  were  only  beryl 
and  quartz  crystals,  and  the  beryl  very  sparing.  A  concentric  band  of 
hematite  and  ferruginous  quartz  seems  to  separate  this  particular  pocket 
from  the  other  pocket  material  found  in  the  ledge. 

From  this  pocket,  working  northwest,  a  gradual  change  was  encoun- 
tered and  a  barren  condition  for  about  10  feet.  Then  coarse,  bone-like 
concretions  of  albite  were  first  discovered,  with  large  and  perfect  quartz 
crystals.  The  interior  of  the  pockets  lying  with  these  minerals  has 
either  been  decomposed  completely  and  washed  away,  or  else  the  pockets 
were  hollow,  without  any  matter  filling  them,  as  they  are  at  present 
filled  with  the  soil,  which  seems  to  be  the  same  as  that  found  on  the 
hillside  above  the  ledge.  In  this  loose  soil,  and  "frozen"  to  the  albite 
and  orthoclase,  are  numerous  wedge-shaped  crystals  of  topaz,  some  of 
which  weigh  over  a  pound;  they  are  white,  sea-green,  sky-blue,  and  light 
yellow  in  color.  Attached  to  the  roof  and  floor  of  these  cavities,  and 
with  a  long  root  extending  up  into  the  quartz  and  pegmatite,  are  gigantic 
tourmaline  crystals,  deep  green,  mostly  opaque,  some  of  them  5  inches 
in  diameter,  and  weighing  as  high  as  15  pounds.  Some  small  pencil 
tourmalines  of  a  deep-green  color  and  gem  quality  are  found  loose  in 
the  pockets,  also  a  number  of  small  topaz  crystals  that  have  become 
detached  from  their  matrix  of  albite.  Purple  and  pinkish  muscovite  in 
very  large  crystallizations  and  frozen  into  nuggets  are  also  observed 
loose  in  the  pockets,  or  attached  to  the  albite.  In  most  cases  these 
crystals  of  mica  are  attached  to  each  other  at  right  angles,  leaving 
angular  holes,  in  which  very  perfect  topaz  crystals  have  formed. 

The  output  of  this  work  has  been  approximately  30  pounds  of  topaz, 
50  pounds  of  all  classes  of  tourmalines,  and  a  small  quantity  of 
"  spessartite  "  garnet.  Beryl  pseudomorphs  after  topaz  were  also  noticed, 
badly  checked,  but  of  pinkish  and  light  yellow  colors.  Also  quartz 
pseudomorphs  taking  the  crystallization  of  the  topaz,  and  in  cubes  and 
rhombic  prisms,  are  found  loose  in  the  pockets  of  topaz. 

The  ledge  proper  is  a  fine-grained  granitic  pegmatite,  with  foot  and 
hanging  walls  of  gray  decomposed  diorite.  The  underlying  line-rock  in 
the  topaz  locality  assumes  a  banded  appearance,  very  straight  in  its 
interlineations;  it  is  coarser  than  is  generally  seen  in  ledges  of  this  kind, 
and  is  notable  for  the  absence  of  either  garnet  or  tourmaline  in  any 
quantity,  the  lines  or  bands  apparently  being  a  stain  from  manganese. 
A  little  biotite  was  also  seen.     This  is  a  very  strong  ledge,  and  can  be 


GEMS,    JEWELERS      MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNLV. 


145 


traced  without  a  break  for  over  3000  feet,  with  an  average  width  of  4  feet, 
and  in  some  places  much  wider. 

No  work  has  been  performed  other  than  that  described,  but  the  ledge 
shows  indications  of  garnet  for  its  entire  length.  This  mine  is  a  westerly- 
extension  of  the  Surprise  mine,  owned  by  J.  E.  Farley,  James  W.  Booth, 
and  Mrs.  G.  M.  Stone.     There  is  quite  a  quantity  of  fine  oak  and  sycamore 


ILL.  Ko.  44.    LITTLE  THREE   MINE,    RAMONA,  SAN   DIEGO    COUNTY-WALL 
ROCK,  SHOWING  LINES   OF  SMALL  BLACK  TOURMALINE. 


timber  in  close  proximity  to  the  mines,  and  a  spring  of  water  sufficient 
for  domestic  uses,  but  which  can  probably  be  developed  for  all  purposes 
needed  in  mining  for  gems. 

Giant  powder  has  been  used  exclusively,  and  no  bad  results  have 
been  reported.  Pocket  material  has  been  extracted,  and  the  gems  taken 
out  by  the  screening  process  onh',  and  quite  a  quantity  of  small  crystals 
of  good  quality  were  found  in  the  tailings. 

10— MB 


I-IG  GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,    ETC.,    Ol<'    CALIFORNIA. 

Surprise  Mine. — The  Surprise  mine,  adjoining  the  last,  is  owned  by 
J.  K.  Failcy,  J.  W.  Booth,  and  Mrs.  G.  M.  Stone,  all  of  Ramona,  Cal", 
and  is  situated  in  the  N.  W.  i  of  S.  W.  ]  of  Sec.  9.  T.  13  S.,  R.  2  E., 
S.  B.  yi.  It  was  discovered  on  patented  land  owned  by  Mrs.  Stone, 
November  1,  1903,  by  Mrs.  Booth,  who  noticed  a  few  "  spessartite  "  gar- 
nets sticking  in  the  pegmatite.  The  three  persons  above-named  became 
working  partners  to  develop  the  property. 

The  vein  runs  nearly  due  east  and  west,  but  with  a  slight  trend  to 
the  northwest  and  southeast.  It  dips  to  the  south  at  an  angle  of  about 
20  degrees,  and  has  an  average  width  of  3^  feet.  Two  places  have  been 
opened  on  the  ledge,  at  intervals  of  about  300  feet,  each  showing  an 
entirely  different  condition  in  the  formations.  The  first  is  about  250 
feet  north  of  Mr.  Booth's  residence,  which  is  the  stage  station  between 
Foster  and  Julian,  San  Diego  County.  At  this  place  the  pegmatite  is 
finely  crystallized,  about  18  inches  in  width,  and  lies  under  a  hanging 
wall  of  micaceous  diorite.  The  pegmatite  contains  considerable  graphic 
granite,  with  greenish  stains,  crystallized  quartz,  clear  and  white,  and 
muscovite  of  a  rich  grass-green.  Beneath  this  is  an  average  thickness 
of  a  foot  and  a  half  of  decomposed  albite  and  orthoclase  and  infiltrated 
sand  and  earth,  with  some  hydrated  muscovite,  and  black  tourmalines, 
many  of  which  are  altered  to  muscovite  and  quartz.  Disseminated 
through  this  friable  mass  are  "spessartite"  garnets,  in  colors  from  deep 
red  to.  light  honey-yellow,  affording  beautiful  gems,  some  of  which  have 
been  cut,  weighing  from  3  to  6  carats.  About  five  pounds  of  these  were 
taken  out  of  a  cut  running  along  the  ledge  about  6  feet  in  depth  and  18 
feet  long,  and  an  average  width  of  4  feet.  Beneath  this  is  the  usual 
"  line-rock,"  or  micaless  granite,  in  which  no  garnets  were  noticed,  but 
banded  lines,  2  to  3  inches  apart,  of  minute  black  tourmalines  were  seen; 
this  would  indicate  that  a  higher  crystallization  of  the  ledge  forces  the 
lower  into  the  wall  or  outer  rock,  as  garnets  are  always  found  to  occur 
in  the  lower  rock  of  tourmaline  ledges,  while  the  tourmaline  is  found 
as  embedded  crystals  in  the  lower  rock  of  garnet-bearing  ledges,  in  this 
locality.  Some  quartz  crystals,  which  appear  to  have  been  etched 
by  either  fluorides  or  some  other  chemical  compound,  occur  broken  and 
disseminated  with  the  garnets. 

The  second  Avorking  lies  east  of  the  first,  and  is  more  compact,  with 
gray  micaceous  diorite  as  foot  and  hanging  walls.  This  pegmatite  is 
very  finely  crystallized,  and  is  stained  with  iron  and  manganese,  and 
has  serrated  black  tourmalines.  In  the  center  of  this  ledge,  lying 
between  the  gray  base  rock  and  the  upper  pegmatite,  is  6  or  8  inches  of 
orthoclase,  somewhat  altered.  In  this  orthoclase  occur  small  pockets 
2  or  3  inches  in  diameter,  filled  with  fine  granular  ferruginous  quartz. 
In  this  sand,  topaz  is  found,  usually  coated  with  a  talcose  clay.  Those 
near  the  surface  were  mostly  white  or  colorless,  while  at  a  depth  of  6 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIAIiS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  147 

feet  the  color  had  changed  to  sky-bhie  and  aquamarine-blue.  About 
four  pounds  of  these  crystals  have  been  extracted  from  a  cut  20  feet 
long  and  extending  8  feet  in  depth  of  the  incline  of  the  ledge. 

Several  very  fine  pink  beryls  were  also  taken  out,  one  6  inches  long, 
having  three  perfect  sides,  and  li  inches  in  diameter,  being  the  largest 
crystal  yet  found.  About  two  pounds  of  pink  beryl  has  been  the  out- 
put so  far.  The  above  amounts  of  spessartite,  topaz,  and  beryl  have 
been  extracted  at  an  expense  of  $250.  Giant  powder  is  used  exclusively. 
Xo  work  is  in  progress  at  present,  but  further  development  is  contem- 
plated. 

This  mine  is  an  extension  of  the  Little  Three  mine,  owned  by  Mr.. 
Dan  Mcintosh  et  al.,  adjoining  it  on  the  northwest.  These  parties  own 
several  other  ledges  in  the  same  vicinity,  traversing  four  quarter-sections 
of  land  owned  by  them,  and  lying  in  a  line  extending  east  from  the 
present  workings. 

Timber  and  water  are  available  in  sufficient  quantities  for  mining 
purposes.  The  stones  are  extracted  in  both  localities  by  screening  and 
washing,  and  the  owners  seem  to  be  thorough  in  their  work. 

The  occurrence  of  a  yellowish,  reniform,  compact  and  extremely 
heavy  substance  was  noted  in  some  of  the  topaz  pockets.  The  specific 
gravity  of  this  mineral  and  its  peculiar  color  have  attracted  the  atten- 
tion of  several  people,  but  it  was  impossible,  with  the  means  at  hand, 
to  determine  what  it  was.  From  the  edge  of  the  pockets  containing 
these  nuggets,  radiated  black  tourmalines  were  found,  altered  to  a  mica- 
ceous substance  of  sea  and  emerald  green  color,  with  occasional  tinges 
of  purple  and  rose-pink.  This  alteration  seems  to  be  an  allied  mineral 
to  the  above.  Some  triplite  and  magnetic  iron  occur  at  the  junction  of 
the  foot  wall  and  pegmatite. 

The  list  of  minerals  noticed  in  these  mines  was: — -white  and  blue 
topaz;  pink,  green,  and  white  beryl;  black,  green  and  brown  tourma- 
line; spessartite  (so  called),  biotite,  magnetite,  orthoclase,  albite,  quartz 
in  fine  crystallizations,  and  the  two  unknown  minerals  above  referred  to. 

Hercules  Mine.— This  mine,  owned  by  Messrs.  Samuel  G.  Ingle  and 
Harry  Titus,  of  San  Diego,  and  Mr.  Pray,  of  Escondido,  lies  about  4^ 
miles  northeast  of  Ramona,  and  about  three  fourths  of  a  mile  north- 
west of  the  stage  station  between  Foster  and  Julian.  The  mine  was 
located  in  August,  1903,  by  the  above-named  parties. 

The  work  has  been  confined  entirely  to  open  cuts  or  scalping,  and 
the  gems  have  been  extracted  in  all  cases  either  from  the  debris  or 
from  broken  pockets  in  the  ledge,  which  is  a  coarse  pegmatite,  decom- 
posed, and  with  very  little  perfection,  in  the  albite  or  orthoclase;  but 
where  black  tourmalines  penetrate  this  crystallization,  joining  on  to  the 
black  tourmaline,  embedded  in  either  albite  or  orthoclase,  are  essonite 


148 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,   OF    CALIFORNIA. 


garnet  and  so-called  spessartite.  The  latter  is  of  the  finest  quality,  and 
has  produced  gems  from  one  to  six  and  eight  carats  in  weight,  without 
ilaw,  which  are  retailing  at  $20  a  carat. 

Both  hanging  and  foot  walls  are  a  gray  diorite,  in  which  some  mica 
can  be  found.  The  course  of  the  vein  is  north  60  degrees  west,  with  a 
dip  of  45  degrees.  The  location  is  in  the  S.  E.  i  of  S.  E.  i  of  vSec.  6, 
T.  13  S.,  R.  2  E.,  S.  B.  M. 

The  method  of  handling  the  product  has  been  confined  exclusively  to 
screening,  and  a  good  many  gems  have  been  thrown  over  on  account  of 
the  peculiar  condition  of  the  clays  which  cover  them;  but  the  output 


ILL.  No.  45.    HERCULES  MINE,  RAMONA,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY-ESSONITE  GARNET 
AND  BERYL. 

SO  far  has  been  15  pounds  of  garnet  and  a  half  pound  of  very  clear 
green  beryl,  which  is  an  associated  mineral  with  it.  A  few  green  and 
blue  tourmalines,  but  not  fit  for  gem  purposes,  have  been  found  higher 
up  on  the  ledge. 

There  is  a  spring  on  this  property,  which  will  furnish  enough  water 
for  domestic  and  mining  purposes;  also  sycamore  and  oak  timber  in 
sufficient  quantity  for  mining. 

Lookout  Mine. — This  mine,  owned  by  Messrs.  Samuel  G.  Ingle  and 
Harry  Titus,  of  San  Diego,  and  Mr.  Pray,  of  Escondido,  was  located  in 
the  month  of  July,  1903.     It  is  situated  4^  miles  northeast  of  Ramona, 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNLV.  149 

and  joins  the  Hercules  mine  on  the  northeast.  The  vein  has  a  dip  of 
20  degrees  to  the  southwest,  and  an  average  width  of  4^  feet.  The 
claim  runs  north  55  degrees  west,  and  is  located  in  the  S.  W.  i  of  Sec.  5, 
T.  13  S.,  R.  2  E.,  S.  B.  M. 

Work  on  this  claim  has  been  confined  entirely  to  open  cuts  and 
scalping.  Garnet,  called  spessartite,  is  the  only  gem  found,  although 
indications  of  beryl  and  tourmaline,  with  two  or  three  peculiar  metallic 
substances  which  could  not  be  determined,  were  noticed.  Both  walls 
are  of  gray  diorite,  containing  some  biotite  mica,  although  a  seam  of  red 
clay  lies  between  either  wall  and  the  ledge  itself.  The  ledge  is  composed 
partly  of  feldspar,  with  very  little  quartz.  In  the  pockets,  albite  and 
orthoclase  are  the  mother  of  crystallization,  and  a  very  peculiar  condition 
of  the  quartz  is  evident.  The  crystals  seem  to  have  been  broken  at 
some  time  into  splinters,  and  then  welded  together,  forming  a  conglom- 
erated mass  of  quartz  with  no  distinct  crystallization.  Adhering  to 
this  quartz,  and  also  to  the  surface  of  the  albite,  are  perfectly  formed 
garnet  crystals,  which,  in  many  cases,  have  afforded  beautiful  gems. 

Not  enough  work  has  been  done  to  make  a  satisfactory  examination. 
About  three  pounds  of  garnet,  and  perhaps  four  ounces  of  fine  beryl, 
was  the  total  product  of  this  mine.  (. 

Some  sycamore  and  oak  timber  are  available;  and  water  owned  by 
the  same  parties  on  the  Hercules  mine  can  be  used  in  connection  with 
this  one. 

McFall  Mine. — This  mine  is  situated  7^  miles  southwest  of  Ramona, 
on  the  eastern  line  of  the  San  Vicente  grant.  It  is  owned  by  John 
McFall,  who  located  the  property  about  ten  years  ago  as  a  zinc  mine, 
and  erroneous  reports  were  given  of  its  value  as  a  zinc  property.  On 
examination,  no  zinc  Avas  found  nor  any  indications  of  it,  but  a  large 
body  of  essonite  garnet  and  finely  crystallized  epidote  was  shown. 

A  shaft  22  feet  in  depth  still  remains  in  solid  garnet,  with  very  little 
impurity  of  quartz.  Very  few  gems  were  found,  however,  although 
many  handsome  crystals,  more  or  less  transparent,  were  among  those 
taken  out.  There  is  a  certain  condition  in  these  crystals  which  does  not 
produce  good  refraction  of  light,  and  hence  as  gems  they  have  no  value. 
The  epidote,  however,  is  the  finest  yet  seen  in  San  Diego  County,  and 
will  probably  produce  gems. 

Mr.  McFall  expects  to  work  the  property  for  abrasive  purposes,  as 
transportation  can  be  secured  cheap  enough  to  make  this  course  profit- 
able. There  are  both  wood  and  water  adjacent  to  the  property,  but 
not  on  it.     No  work  has  been  done  on  the  mine  for  some  little  time. 

The  formations  are  both  blue  and  gray  diorite,  and  the  masses  of 
garnet  appear  to  be  pockets  rather  than  ledges. 


150  GEMS,    jewelers'   MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA. 

Prospect  Mine.— This  mine,  owned  by  Messrs.  H.  A.  Warnock  and 
John  P.  Sutlierhind,  of  Ramona,  was  located  on  September  15,  1904,  by 
the  above-named  parties,  and  is  about  4  miles  northwest  of  Ramona, 
crossing  the  road  between  Ramona  and  Mesa  Grande,  an  open  cut  hav- 
ing been  made  on  the  east  side  of  the  road  in  Hatfield  Canon. 

Spessartite  (so  called)  has  been  the  only  product  in  gems,  although 
greenish  tourmalines  have  also  been  found.  The  ledge  is  about  6  feet 
in  width,  of  a  poorly  crystallized  pegmatite,  and  most  of  the  gems  are 
found  frozen  into  the  ledge,  few  pockets  having  been  discovered. 

The  parties  are  actively  at  work,  and  probably  will  find  a  better  con- 
dition in  15  or  20  feet  from  the  present  working.  The  output  has  been 
very  small,  and  no  sales  have  been  made.  The  prospect  is  worth  men- 
tioning, however,  as  it  is  the  last  mine  on  the  northwest  end  of  the 
Ramona  belt  of  crystallization,  the  belt  apparently  being  barren  for  14 
miles  northward  of  Mesa  Grande. 

Messrs.  Warnock  and  Sutherland  expect  to  continue  their  work  until 
something  definite  is  known  about  the  property,  and  a  report  two  or 
three  months  later  will  be  more  satisfactory  than  can  be  had  at  present. 

There  are  both  wood  and  water  in  plenty  on  the  property.  It  is  now 
owned  by  Mr.  Warnock. 

JACUMBA  DISTRICT. 

Dos"  Cabezas  Mine. — This  mine  is  17  miles  north  and  east  from 
Jacumba  Hot  Springs  by  road,  although  in  a  direct  line  only  about  8 
miles;  it  is  situated  in  Sec.  2,  T.  17  S.,  R.  8  E.  Here  many  fine  hya- 
cinth garnets  have  been  taken  out  from  a  matrix  of  carbonate  of  lime, 
which  occurs  in  quantities  suflficient  to  be  used  as  building  marble,  etc. 
There  are  also  indications  of  phosphate  of  lime.  This  locality  has  been 
worked  off  and  on  for  the  last  ten  years  for  gem  crystals,  and  several 
hundi-ed  dollars'  worth  have  been  extracted  by  different  parties,  but 
nothing  definite  has  been  done,  owing  to  its  inaccessibility  and  the 
lack  of  wood  and  water.  Properties  now  owned  in  that  vicinity  are 
those  of  Mr.  James  Jasper,  the  San  Diego  Desert  Marble  Company,  the 
San  Diego  Gem  Company,  W.  H.  Trenchard,  T.  H.  Steinmeyer,  and 
William  Hill.     Development  is  expected  during  the  next  year. 

Nine  and  a  half  miles  east  of  Jacumba,  and  near  Mountain  Springs, 
on  the  road  leading  from  San  Diego  to  Imperial,  and  on  unsurveyed 
land,  is  a  locality  on  which  three  or  four  prospects  have  been  located 
showing  excellent  essonite  and  so-called  spessartite  garnet.  These 
localities  are  now  controlled  by  the  San  Diego  Gem  Company,  1529 
D  street,  San  Diego,  who  have  sunk  a  shaft  and  have  done  considerable 
surface  work.  The  gems  extracted  are  of  exceptional  quality  and  size. 
Several  thousand  dollars  will  be  expended  by  the  owners  during  the 


ILL.  Xo.  4(;.     PROSPECT  MINE,    RAMUNA.   SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY— GENERAL    VIEW, 
ESSONITE  GARNET. 


ILL.  No.  47.     PROSPECT   MINE.  RAMONA,  SAN  DIEGO  COUNTY-SHOWING   LEDGE  AND 
OPENING.     ESSON^TE   GARNET. 


152  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,    of    CALIFORNIA, 

next  year.  The  water  supply  is  about  4-^  miles  away,  and  there  is  no 
timber  whatever  or  even  wood  for  ordinary  purposes.  The  country  is 
very  rough  and  inaccessible,  but  bids  fair  to  be  one  of  the  best  producers 
of  gems  yet  discovered  in  California. 

Crystal  Gem  Mine.— This  is  owned  by  Collier  &  Smith,  of  San 
Diego,  and  is  situated  about  S-^  miles  northwest  from  Jacumba.  Pink 
and  green  beryls  associated  with  essonite  and  (so-called)  spessartite 
garnet  have  been  the  only  output,  but  general  indications  are  very 
favorable.  The  ledge  is  a  coarse  pegmatite,  about  8  feet  in  width,  and 
extends  for  nearly  a  mile.  Quartz  crystals,  albite,  orthoclase,  and 
indications  of  lithia  are  also  found  in  conjunction.  This  property  is 
not  worked  at  present,  but  probably  will  be  during  the  next  year.  Ten 
pounds  of  fine  essonite  garnet  and  perhaps  three  or  four  pounds  of  beryl 
were  taken  out  during  1904.  There  is  a  spring  of  water  on  the  property, 
and  plenty  of  timber. 

Mang-anese  Deposits. — These  are  owned  by  the  San  Diego  Desert 
Marble  Company,  and  lie  l-g  miles  northwest  of  Jacumba  Hot  Springs. 
A  ledge  averaging  10  feet  in  w^idth  and  extending  about  5000  feet  has 
been  located  by  these  parties,  and  shows  oxides  of  manganese  associated 
with  garnet,  beryl,  and  black  tourmaline.  No  development  work  has 
been  done,  but  upon  the  advent  of  a  railroad  this  property  may  become 
valuable,  as  the  manganese  is  of  exceptional  quality  and  can  be  utilized 
in  many  ways. 

Farther  to  the  north  and  east  are  other  localities,  in  the  vicinity  of 
Seventeen  Palms,  in  the  Santa  Rosa  Mountains,  on  the  edge  of  the 
desert,  and  in  the  direction  of  Salton  Lake,  where  Mr.  H.  C.  Gordon 
reports  fine  and  abundant  occurrences  of  garnet.  Much  of  this  is  the 
wild  and  barren  region  claimed  by  the  old  Indian  chief  known  as 
"Fig-tree  .John,"  elsewhere  mentioned. 


TURQUOISE    SAN  BERNARDINO  COUNTY. 

Turquoise  mining  is  carried  on  by  two  principal  companies  in  San 
Bernardino  County — the  Toltec  and  the  Himalaya. 

Toltec  Gem  Mining"  Company. — The  California  property  of  this 
company  consists  of  tliree  groups  of  mines  situated  in  San  Bernardino 
County  on  the  Great  Desert  about  100  miles  northwest  of  Needles,  and 
about  50  miles  north  from  Manvel,  which  is  on  a  branch  of  the  Santa 
Fe  Pvailroad.  The  altitude  is  between  5000  and  6000  feet;  and  there 
being  no  water  at  either  of  the  camps,  it  is  necessary  to  draw  it  over 
the  mountains  from  1  to  5  miles.  These  camps  are  about  6  miles 
apart,  and  are  known  as  East  Camp,  Middle  Camp,  and  West  Camp, 


GEMS,    jewelers'    MATERIALS,   ETC.,    OP    CALIFORNIA.  153 

in  the  old  Solo  Mining  District.  Death  Valley  is  within  20  miles  of 
"West  Camp.  These  mines  are  all  patented.  The  qualities  of  the  tur- 
quoise taken  from  these  various  camps  vary  Avidely,  from  quite  soft  to  very 
hard.  The  same  company  also  has  turquoise  mines  in  Nevada,  60  miles 
due  east  of  these.  Here  stone  hammers  were  met  with  at  a  depth  of  18  feet. 
Scarcely  any  turquoise  was  found  much  below  100  feet  from  the  surface, 
and  a  200-foot  shaft  failed  to  reveal  any  at  all.  This  fact,  which  is 
also  reported  from  the  mines  of  the  Himalaya  Company,  is  a  curious  one, 
indicating  that  the  turquoise  must  be  in  some  way  a  product  of  rather 
superficial  alteration.  The  mines  of  both  these  companies  have  been 
quite  large  producers.  The  Toltec  Company  obtained  one  gem-stone, 
of  rather  a  pale  blue,  that  cut  into  a  perfect  oval  measuring  32  by 
45  millimeters,  and  weighing  203  carats. 


Himalaya  Mining'  Company. — This  company  also  has  been  operating 
turquoise  mines  in  San  Bernardino  County.  They  are  owned  by  Mr.  L. 
Tannenbaum,  of  New  York,  and  are  likewise  situated  in  the  Solo  Mining 
District,  but  60  miles  due  west  of  Manvel,  where  a  team  must  be  secured 
to  visit  the  mine,  as  no  other  means  of  communication  exists.  There 
are  five  claims  in  this  group,  all  of  them  on  the  same  ledge,  which  con- 
sists of  bird's-eye  porphyry  with  some  granite,  with  a  north  and  south 
strike  and  a  dip  of  75  degrees  west.  The  pockets  of  turquoise,  which  is 
practically  the  only  gem  found,  lie  in  this  porphyry  surrounded  by  a 
friable  mass  of  so-called  silicate  of  lime.  Two  shafts  80  feet  in  depth 
have  been  sunk  on  the  property,  but  40  feet  was  the  lowest  level  at 
which  gem-turquoise  was  found.  From  this  level  the  mine  has  been  prac- 
tically stoped  to  the  surface.  There  is  no  timber  at  the  mine,  but  some 
small  pine  can  be  secured  10  miles  north.  Water  was  found  by  sinking  a 
well  85  feet;  it  can  be  used  for  drinking  purposes,  but  is  of  very  inferior 
quality.  Work  was  done  by  the  screening  and  washing  method,  and 
entirely  by  hand,  there  being  no  machinery  of  any  kind  on  the  prop- 
erty. Other  improvements  are  bunk-houses,  etc.  The  mine  was  closed 
down  on  the  first  day  of  March,  1903,  and  no  work  of  any  account  has 
been  done  since  that  date.  For  the  two  months  during  which  the  mine 
was  worked  in  that  year,  six  men  were  employed,  at  an  average  wage  of 
$2.50  per  day.  The  expense  of  mining  w^as  very  high — about  $20  per 
foot.  Giant  powder  Avas  used  exclusively,  and  it  required  about  10^ 
pounds  to  the  foot. 

The  shipments  that  year  (January  and  February,  1903),  as  given  by 
the  Wells-Fargo  agent,  amounted  to  431  pounds  of  matrix  and  ordinary 
turquoise,  and  49  pounds  of  picked  material. 


154  GEMS,    jewelers'    materials,   etc.,    of    CALIFORNIA. 


CHRYSOPRASE— TULARE  COUNTY. 

Chrysoprase  was  discovered  in  Tulare  County  in  1878,  by  Mr.  (jieorge 
W.  Smith,  a  surveyor  of  Visalia.  He  presented  specimens  to  Mr.  M. 
Braverman  of  Visalia,  who  identified  them  as  chrysoprase.  Later,  the 
State  Mining  Bureau  confirmed  this  determination.  The  first  specimen 
was  the  finest  ever  found  in  the  county;  it  was  sent  to  the  Paris  Expo- 
sition of  1889,  but  failed  to  reach  its  destination,  being  stolen  en  route. 
It  was  about  3^  inches  long  and  1^  inches  thick.  The  first  discovery, 
and  thus  far  the  best  outcroppings  which  have  been  developed,  are 
located  on  the  McGinnis  property,  in  the  N.  E.  i  of  Sec.  8,  T.  18  S., 
R.  26  E.,  Mount  Diablo  meridian.  This  location  is  about  10  miles  north- 
east of  Visalia,  on  Venice  Hill.  These  outcroppings  extend  along  the 
southeastern  slope  of  this  hill  and  through  Section  8  and  the  S.  W.  ^  of 
Section  4.  Here  it  occurs  in  small  irregular  veins,  which  range  from 
mere  seams  to  veins  2  and  3  inches  in  thickness,  in  a  somewhat  altered 
red  jasper  rock. 

When  visited  by  the  Field  Assistant  of  the  Mining  Bureau  (February, 
1905)  the  larger  veins  had  been  deprived  of  all  the  chrysoprase  suitable 
for  specimens,  but  the  excavations  show  that  the  chalcedony  veins 
persist,  indicating  the  structure  of  the  former  deposits,  and  also  the 
gradation  from  the  darker  green  chrysoprase  of  the  outcrops  through 
a  lighter  green  (prase-opal)  until  at  a  depth  of  about  20  feet  a  pure- 
white  milky  quartz  or  chalcedony  is  encountered,  which  is  free  from  all 
nickel  oxide  coloring. 

As  to  the  size  and  quality  of  the  gems  taken  out,  we  find  in  the 
seventeenth  annual  report  of  the  U.  S.  Geological  Survey*  the  following 
note:  "  It  is  much  flawed  and  good  pieces  for  cutting  are  scarce,  but  the 
color  is  excellent,  and  some  handsome  articles  of  small  size  have  been 
made  from  it."     Since  then  many  fine  stones  have  been  found. 

The  chrysoprase  outcroppings  have  been  traced  at  different  places  all 
along  the  foothills  of  the  Sierra  Nevada  across  Tulare  County,  and  the 
following  locations  have  been  noted  by  different  authorities:  Venice 
Hill,  Stokes  Mountain,  Tule  River,  Deer  Creek,  and  one  mile  east  of 
Lindsay.  All  of  these  have  been  announced  in  the  annual  reports  of 
the  writer  on  the  production  of  precious  stones  in  the  United  States,  for 
1895  to  1898  inclusive.  Of  these,  the  Himalaya  Mining  Company  owns 
three  claims  at  the  chief  locality  at  Venice  Hill,  a  short  distance 
northeast  of  Visalia;  also  two  at  Lindsay,  a  little  northeast  and  south- 
east of  the  town,  respectively;  and  one  on  Deer  Creek,  in  Sec.  20,  T.  22  S., 
R.  28  E.  One  or  two  other  large  claims  at  Venice  Hill,  another  some 
distance  east  of  Visalia,  in  the  N.  W.  i  of  Sec.  28,  T.  18  S.,  R.  27  E.,  and 


Min.  Res.  U.  S.,  Rept.  U.  S.  Geol.  Survey,  1895,  p.  913. 


.  \ 


GEMS,    jewelers'    ^FATERIALS,    ETC.,    OF    CALIFORNIA.  155 

one  or  two  in  the  Stokes  Mountain  region,  Sees.  9  and  10,  T.  16  S., 
li.  26  E.,  Mount  Diablo  base  and  meridian,  belong  to  other  parties. 

For  a  time  a  very  active  interest  was  taken  in  mining  chrysoprase, 
but  of  late  years  there  has  been  less  demand  than  formerly,  because  this 
stone  is  not  now  the  fad  in  jewelry  that  it  was  at  first. 

No  ruling  price  or  valuation  can  be  set  on  the  rough  stone,  as  the 
c!har.acter  of  a  specimen  can  not  be  told  with  any  degree  of  certainty 
until  the  piece  is  cut.  The  cut  stones  brought  prices  from  $2  to  $3  per 
carat.  Most  of  the  Tulare  County  output  was  cut  in  New  York,  but 
some  few  stones  were  cut  in  San  Francisco  and  Denver. 


CALIFORNITE  (MASSIVE  VESUVIANITE) —SISKIYOU 
COUNTY. 

The  exact  location  of  the  deposit  of  californite,  as  th^  writer  has  pro- 
posed to  call  the  compact,  jade-like  variety  of  vesuvianite,  or  idocrase, 
described  in  full  on  page  93  of  this  Bulletin,  is  given  as  follows  by 
Mr.  Edwin  L.  Hoyt  of  Yreka,  in  a  recent  communication: 

"  The  californite  deposit  in  Siskiyou  County  is  10  miles  north  of  Happy 
Camp,  which  is  the  nearest  postoffice  to  the  property;  also  10  miles 
north  of  Klamath  River.  The  Happy  Camp  placer  mining  district 
parallels  the  river  in  this  section.  The  nearest  railroad  station  is  that 
at  Yreka,  90  miles  distant  by  wagon  road.  I  am  unable  to  give  dip  of 
vein,  etc.,  but  believe  it  is  more  of  a  deposit  or  kidney  or  large  lens,  a& 
there  are  no  indications' of  a  fissure." 


APPENDIX. 


i 


St. 

%4:h 

;m 

^1~ 

«i.S 

J.m 

lllii  'W 

tl^lfiv 


CALIFORNIA  STATE  MINING  BUREAU, 


This  institution  aims  to  be  the  chief  source  of  reliable  information 
about  the  mineral  resources  and  mining  industries  of  California. 

It  is  encouraged  in  its  work  by  the  fact  that  its  publications  have 
been  in  such  demand  that  large  editions  are  soon  exhausted.  In  fact, 
copies  of  them  now  command  high  prices  in  the  market. 

The  publications,  as  soon  as  issued,  find  their  way  to  the  scientific, 
public,  and  private  libraries  of  all  countries. 

STATE  MINERALOGIST. 

The  California  State  Mining  Bureau  is  under  the  supervision  of 
Hon.  Lewis  E.  Anbury,  State  Mineralogist. 

It  is  supported  by  legislative  appropriations,  and  in  some  degree 
performs  work  similar  to  that  of  the  geological  surveys  of  other  States; 
but  its  purposes  and  functions  are  mainly  practical,  the  scientific  work 
being  clearly  subordinate  to  the  economic  phases  of  the  mineral  field, 
as  shown  by  the  organic  law  governing  the  Bureau,  which  is  as  follows : 

Sec.  4.  It  shall  be  the  duty  of  said  State  Mineralogist  to  make,  facilitate,  and 
encourage  special  studies  of  the  mineral  resources  and  mineral  industries  of  the 
State.  It  shall  be  his  duty :  To  collect  statistics  concerning  the  occurrence  of  the 
economically  important  minerals  and  the  methods  pursued  in  making  their  valu- 
able constituents  available  for  commercial  use ;  to  make  a  collection  of  typical 
geological  and  mineralogical  specimens,  especially  those  of  economic  or  commercial 
importance,  such  collection  constituting  the  Museum  of  the  State  Mining  Bureau ; 
to  provide  a  library  of  books,  reports,  drawings,  bearing  upon  the  mineral  industries, 
the  sciences  of  mineralogy  and  geology  and  the  arts  of  mining  and  metallurgy,  such 
library  constituting  the  Library  of  the  State  ^lining  Biu-eau  ;  to  make  a  collection 
of  models,  drawings,  and  descriptions  of  the  mechanical  appliances  used  in  mining 
and  metallurgical  processes  ;  to  preserve  and  so  maintain  such  collections  and  library 
as  to  make  them  available  for  reference  and  examination,  and  open  to  public  inspec- 
tion at  reasonable  hours ;  to  maintain,  in  effect,  a  bureau  of  information  concern- 
ing the  mineral  industries  of  this  State,  to  consist  of  such  collections  and  library, 
and  to  arrange,  classify,  catalogue,  and  index  the  data  therein  contained,  in  a 
manner  to  make  the  information  available  to  those  desiring  it,  and  to  provide  a 
custodian  specially  qualified  to  promote  this  purpose ;  to  make  a  biennial  report  to 
the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the  ^Mining  Bureau,  setting  forth  the  important  results 
of  his  work,  and  to  issue  from  time  to  time  such  bulletins  as  he  may  deem 
advisable  concerning  the  statistics  and  technology  of  the  mineral  industries  of  this 
State. 

THE  BULLETINS, 

The  field  covered  by  the  books  issued  under  this  title  is  shown  in 
the  list  of  publications.  Each  bulletin  deals  with  only  one  phase  of 
mining.  ]Many  of  them  are  elaborately  illustrated  with  engravings 
and  maps.  Only  a  nominal  price  is  asked,  in  order  that  those  who 
need  them  most  may  obtain  a  copy. 


160  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 

THE  REGISTERS  OF  MINES. 

The  Registers  of  Mines  form  practically  both  a  State  and  a  County 
directory  of  the  mines  of  California,  each  county  being  represented  in 
a  separate  pamphlet.  Those  who  wish  to  learn  the  essential  facts  about 
any  particular  mine  are  referred  to  them.  The  facts  and  figures  are 
given  in  tabular  form,  and  are  accompanied  by  a  topographical  map  of 
the  county  on  a  large  scale,  showing  location  of  each  mineral  deposit, 
towns,  railroads,  roads,  power  lines,  ditches,  etc. 

HOME  OF  THE  BUREAU 

The  Mining  Bureau  occupies  the  north  half  of  the  third  floor  of 
the  Ferry  Building,  in  San  Francisco.  All  visitors  and  residents  are 
invited  to  inspect  the  Museum,  Library,  and  other  rooms  of  the  Bureau 
and  gain  a  personal  knowledge  of  its  operations. 

THE  MUSEUM. 

The  Museum  now  contains  over  16,000  specimens,  carefully  labeled 
and  attractively  arranged  in  showcases  in  a  great,  well-lighted  hall, 
where  they  can  be  easily  studied.  The  collection  of  ores  from  Cali- 
fornia mines  is  of  course  very  extensive,  and  is  supplemented  by  many 
cases  of  characteristic  ores  from  the  principal  mining  districts  of  the 
world.  The  educational  value  of  the  exhibit  is  constantly  increased 
by  substituting  the  best  specimens  obtainable  for  those  of  less  value. 

These  mineral  collections  are  not  only  interesting,  beautiful,  and  in 
every  way  attractive  to  the  sightseers  of  all  classes,  but  are  also  educa- 
tional. They  show  to  manufacturers,  miners,  capitalists,  and  others 
the  character  and  quality  of  the  economic  minerals  of  the  State,  and 
Avhere  they  are  found.  Plans  have  been  formulated  to  extend  the 
usefulness  of  the  exhibit  by  special  collections,  such  as  one  showing  the 
chemical  composition  of  minerals;  another  showing  the  mineralogical 
composition  of  the  sedimentary,  metamorphic,  and  igneous  rocks  of  the 
State;  the  petroleum-bearing  formations,  ore  bodies,  and  their  country 
rocks,  etc. 

Besides  the  mineral  specimens,  there  are  many  models,  maps,  photo- 
graphs, and  diagrams  illustrating  the  modern  practice  of  mining, 
milling,  and  concentrating,  and  the  technology  of  the  mineral  indus- 
tries. An  educational  series  of  specimens  for  high  schools  has  been 
inaugurated,  and  new  plans  are  being  -formulated  that  will  make  the 
Museum  even  more  useful  in  the  future  than  in  the  past.  Its  popu- 
larity is  shown  by  the  fact  that  over  100,000  visitors  registered  last 
year,  while  many  failed  to  leave  any  record  of  their  visit. 


11— MB 


162  CALIFORNIA    STATK    INIININC!    BUREAU. 

THE  LIBRARY. 

This  is  the  miuing  reference  library  of  the  State,  constantly  con- 
sulted by  mining  men,  and  contains  between  4000  and  5000  volumes 
of  selected  works,  in  addition  to  the  numerous  publications  of  the 
Bureau  itself.  On  its  shelves  will  be  found  reports  on  geology,  min- 
eralogy, mining,  etc.,  published  by  states,  governments,  and  indi- 
viduals ;  the  reports  of  scientific  societies  at  home  and  abroad : 
encyclopedias,  scientific  papers,  and  magazines;  mining  publications; 
and  the  current  literature  of  mining  ever  needed  in  a  reference  library. 

Manufacturers'  catalogues  of  mining  and  milling  machinery  by 
California  firms  are  kept  on  file.  The  Registers  of  Mines  form  an 
up-to-date  directory  for  investor  and  manufacturer. 

The  librarian's  desk  is  the  general  bureau  of  information,  where 
visitors  from  all  parts  of  the  world  are  ever  seeking  information  about 
all  parts  of  California. 

READING-ROOM. 

This  is  a  part  of  the  Library  Department  and  is  supplied  with  over 
one  hundred  current  publications.  Visitors  will  find  here  various 
California  papers  and  leading  mining  journals  from  all  over  the  world. 

The  Library  and  Reading-Room  are  open  to  the  public  from  9  a.  m. 
to  5  p.  M.  daily,  except  Sundays  and  holidays. 

THE  LABORATORY. 

This  department  identifies  for  the  prospector  the  minerals  he  finds, 
and  tells  him  the  nature  of  the  wall  rocks  or  dikes  he  may  encounter 
in  his  workings;  but  this  department  does  not  do  assaying  nor  compete 
with  private  assay ers.  The  pr&sence  of  minerals  is  determined,  but 
not  the  percentage  present.  No  charges  for  this  service  are  made  to 
any  resident  of  the  State.  Many  of  the  inquiries  made  of  this  depart- 
ment have  brought  capital  to  the  development  of  new  districts.  ]\Iany 
technical  questions  have  been  asked  and  answered  as  to  the  best 
chemical  and  mechanical  processes  of  handling  ores  and  raAV  material. 
The  laboratory  is  well  equipped. 

THE  DRAUGHTING-ROOM. 

In  this  room  are  prepared  scores  of  maps,  from  the  small  ones  filling 
only  a  part  of  a  page,  to  the  largest  County  and  State  maps;  and  the 
numerous  illustrations,  other  than  photographs,  that  are  constantly 
being  required  for  the  Bulletins  and  Registers  of  Mines.  In  this  room, 
also,  will  be  found  a  very  complete  collection  of  maps  of  all  kinds 
relating  to  the  industries  of  the  State,  and  one  of  the  important  duties 
of  the  department  is  to  make  such  additions  and  corrections  as  will 
keep  the  maps  up  to  date.  The  .seeker  after  information  inquires  here 
if  he  wishes  to  know  about  the  geology  or  topography  of  any  district ; 
about  the  locations  of  the  new  camps,  or  positions  of  old  or  abandoned 


164 


CALIFORNIA    STATK    MININCJ    BUREAU. 


ones;  about  railroadSj  stage  roads,  and  trails;  or  about  the  working 
drawings  of  anything  connected  with  mining. 

MINERAL  STATISTICS, 

One  of  the  features  of  this  institution  is  its  mineral  statistics.  Their 
annual  compilation  by  the  State  Mining  Bureau  began  in  1893.  No 
other  State  in  the  Union  attempts  so  elaborate  a  record,  expends  so 
much  labor  and  money  on  its  compilation,  or  secures  so  accurate  a  one. 

The  State  Mining  Bureau  keeps  a  careful,  up-to-date,  and  reliable 
but  confidential  register  of  every  producing  mine,  mine-owner,  and 
mineral  industry  in  the  State.  From  them  are  secured,  under  pledge 
of  secrecy,  reports  of  output,  etc.,  and  all  other  available  sources  of 
information  are  used  in  checking,  verifying,  and  supplementing  the 
information  so  gained.  This  information  is  published  in  an  annual 
tabulated,  statistical,  single-sheet  bulletin,  showing  the  mineral  pro- 
duction by  both   substances   and   counties. 

TOTAL  GOLD  PRODUCT  OF  CALIFORNIA— 1848-1903. 


1848.-.. 

..   $245,301 

1863... 

-.  $23,501,736 

1878... 

..  $18,839,141 

1893-.- 

-.   $12,422,811 

1849 

..  10,151.360 

1864... 

-.  24,071,423 

1879... 

..  19,626,654 

1894 .... 

-.   13,923,281 

1850. . . . 

_.  4l.'-'7:;,i(i(; 

ISO,-.  _. 

-.  17,930,858 

1880... 

..  20,030,761 

1895-.-- 

15,334,317 

1851.__- 

7.'i,'.i:')S,L':'i:i 

ISOO 

_.  17,123,867 

1881... 

..  19,223,155 

1896-.. . 

..   17,181,562 

1852.... 

.si,2!M,7"n 

is(;7_.. 

-.  18,265,452 

1882... 

..  17,146,416 

1897.... 

..   15,871,401 

1853_._. 

_.  67,(;i:;.is7 

lsos,__ 

_.  17,555,867 

1883... 

..  24,316,873 

1898.--. 

15,906,478 

1854.... 

-.  69,43:;,!):;i 

iSO!l_._ 

..  ls,-_':^(»,(i44 

1884... 

-.  13,600,000 

1899--- 

-   15,336,031 

1855.-.. 

-.  55,4,sr),:i!i.-. 

I.S70... 

..  17,4:.s,i;« 

1885... 

-.  12,661,044 

1900  -.- 

15,863,355 

1856.... 

.-.  57,509,411 

1871... 

-.  17,477, SS5 

1886... 

.  14,716,506 

1901..-- 

16,989,044 

1857 

-.  43,628,172 

1872-.- 

..  15,4S2,li)4 

1SS7... 

..  13,588,614 

1902.--. 

..   16,910,320 

1858.... 

-.  46,591,140 

1873-.. 

..  15,ol;),L'lo 

1S8S... 

..  12,750,000 

1903.--- 

16,471,264 

1859... 

...  45,846,599 

1874... 

..  17,L>t;4,s:!(; 

ISSit,  .. 

..  11,212,913 

I860--.. 

..  44,095,163 

1875... 

l<i.s70,(io'.t 

is;i(i_.. 

IL',: '.Oil,  793 

Total . 

.$1,395,746,672 

1861... . 

.-  41,884,995 

1876.  . 

.   J5,0|().7L';i 

lS!tL_. 

..  12,72S,S69 

1862.-.. 

..  38,854,668 

1877... 

..  i6,.->oi,i^(;,s 

LSOL',.. 

-.  12,571,900 

COUNTY  RANK  IN  GOLD  PRODUCT  IN   1903. 

While  gold  is  still  the  leading  mining  product,  its  yield  no  longer 
puts  the  greatest  gold-producing  county  in  the  first  place.  The  petro- 
leum of  Kern  County  and  the  copper  of  Shasta  give  them  precedence. 
Gold  is  more  widely  distributed  than  any  other  substance  thus  far 
mined  in  California;  34  counties  out  of  the  57  in  the  State  showing  a 
gold  yield  in  1903,  and  it  is  known  to  exist  in  several  others.  The  order 
in  rank  of  the  counties  of  the  State,  in  the  production  of  gold  alone, 
is  at  present  as  follows : 


1.  Nevada.-' .$2,458,047 

2.  Calaveras 1,904,125 

3.  Tuolumne 1,732,572 

4.  Amador 1,609,744 

5.  Butte 1,571,.507 

6.  Kern  1,022,353 

7.  Shasta 771,242 

8.  Siskiyou 613,576 

9.  Trinity -.  607,728 

10.  Placer    570,571 

11.  Mariposa 542,355 

12.  San  Diego 461,516 


13.  Plumas 

14.  S.  Bernardino 

15.  Sacramento  .. 

16.  Mono 

17.  Sierra • 

18.  El  Dorado   _.. 

19.  Yuba. 

20.  Madera 

21.  Lassen 

22.  Inyo... 

23.  Stanislaus  .... 

24.  Humboldt.. - 


$424 
381 
335 
334 

310. 

125 
93 
91 
66 
52 
38 


25.  Fresno $21,538 

26.  Riverside 13,453 

27.  Tulare-- 9,215 

28.  Monterey 8,920 

29.  Los  Angeles  _-.  8,674 

30.  Del  Norte 7,183 

31.  Alpine -.  2,701 

32.  San  Luis  Obispo  1,840 

.33.  Ventura 1,087 

34.  Orange -,  150 

Total $16,471,264 


16G  CAMFORINA    STATK    MINING    lUUEAU. 

TOTAL  MINERAL  PRODUCT  OF  CALIFORNIA    FOR   1903. 

The  following'  table  shows  the  yield  and  value  of  mineral  substances 

of  California  for  1903,  as  per  returns  received  at  the  State  IMining 
Bureau,  San  Francisco,  in  answer  to  inquiries  sent  to  producers : 

Quantity.  Value. 

Asplialt - 41,670tons  $503,059 

Bituminous  Rock 21,!M4     "  53, lot; 

Borax  (Crude) 34,430    "  661,400 

Cement 640,868  bbls.  968,727 

Chrome j..            150  tons  2,250 

Chrysoprase 500 

Clays:  For  Pottery. 90,972  tons  99,907 

For  Brick. .      214,403  M  1,999,546 

Coal 93,026tons  265,383 

Copper ....19,113,861  lbs.  2,520,997 

Fuller's  Earth 250  tons  4,750 

Glass  Sand 7,725    "  7,525 

Gold 16,471,264 

Granite 408,625  cu.  ft.  678,670 

Gypsum 6,914  tons  46,441 

Infusorial  Earth 2,703    "  16,015 

Lead 110,000  lbs.  3,960 

Lime-  496,587  bbls.  418,280 

Limestone 125,919  tons  163,988 

Lithia  Mica. 700    "  27,300 

Macadam 605,185    "  436,172 

Manganese 1    "  25 

Magnesite    1,361     "  20,515 

Marble 84,624  cu.  ft.  97,354 

Mica 50tons  3,800 

Mineral  Paint 2,370    "  3,720 

Mineral  Water 1,978,340  gals.  ■              558,201 

NaturalGas 120,134  M  cu.  ft.  75,237 

Paving  Blocks... 4,8.54  M  134,642 

Petroleum 24,310,839  bbls.  7,313,271 

Platinum. 1,052 

Pyrites 24,311  tons  94,000 

Quartz  Crystals 1,968 

Quicksilver 32,094  flasks  1,335,954 

Rubble 1,610,440  tons  1,237,419 

Salt 102,895     "  211,365 

Sandstone 353,002  cu.  ft.  585,309 

Serpentine. 99"    "  800 

Silver 517,444 

Slate 10,000  squares  ■     70,000 

Soapstone ..    219  tons  10,124 

Soda 18,000    "  27,000 

Tourmaline 100,000 

Turquoise 10,000 

Total  value 137,759,040 


CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING    BUREAU. 


167 


RELATIVE  RANK  OF  COUNTIES  IN  TOTAL  MINERAL  PRODUCT  IN  1903. 


^ 

!i;4,9.-,7,602 
3,201,680 

''O 

Mariposa 

Alameda 

^552,516 

,., 

!t!139,563 
125,871 

.) 

Sliasta   .- 

•?.\. 

530,207 

40 

Yitba-..- 

'■'>. 

Lo^  Angeles... 

2,519,128 

22. 

Sacramento... 

506,796 

41. 

Lassen. 

92,305 

4. 

Nevada   

2,466,044 

23. 

Madera 

489,525 

42. 

Stanislaus 

70,605 

r, 

Calaveras 

2,270,668 

24. 

Riverside 

446,449 

43. 

Contra   Costa. 

62,500 

«. 

Tuolumne 

1,791,056 

25. 

Plumas 

424,894 

44. 

:Munterey 

51,436 

Amador 

1,639,819 

26. 

Colusa 

420,468 

45. 

Humboldt 

49,316 

s. 

Butte 

1,581,325 

27. 

Solano 

4M,614 

46. 

San  Joaquin.. 

44,489 

i) 

San  Bernardino  1,516,618 

28. 

Santa  Barbara. 

384,688 

47. 

Tulare 

41,175 

30. 

Orange 

1,029,435 

29. 

San  Benito . .  . 

367,851 

48. 

Kings 

24,200 

11. 

Xai>a  — 

896,848 

30. 

Mono  .- 

360,024 

49. 

Mendocino  ... 

20,580 

12. 

Fresno 

848,628 

31. 

Sierra 

311,246 

50. 

Del  Norte 

7,183 

IH. 

San  Francisco 

802,786 

32. 

Lake.... 

294,018 

51. 

Tehama 

7,000 

14. 

Placer- 

800,985 

.33. 

El  Dorado 

284,304 

52. 

Alpine 

2,847 

^r^ 

Ventura 

714,766 

34 

S'n  Luis  Obispo 

257,416 

53 

Yolo 

144 

IH. 

Santa  Clara  .. 

670,159 

35. 

Santa  Cruz 

254,247 

.54. 

Merced 

780 

17. 

Siskivou 

663,598 

36. 

San  Mateo 

252,500 

Unapportioned 

377,783 

JS 

San  Diego 

Trinity 

663  315 

•J  7 

Marin 

218  427 

U). 

621,244 

.38. 

Sonoma . 

195,369 

Total .1:3 

7,759,040 

MINING  BUREAU  PUBLICATIONS. 

Publications  of  this  Bureau  will  be  sent  ou  receipt  of  the  requisite 
amount  and  postage.  Only  stamps,  coin  or  money  orders  will  be 
accepted  in  payment.     (All  putlications  not  mentioned  are  exhausted.) 

Attention  is  respectfully  called  to  that  portion  of  Section  8,  amend- 
ment to  the  Mining  Bureau  Act,  approved  March  10,  1903,  which  states: 

''The  Board  (Board  of  Trustees)  is  hereby  empowered  to  fix  a  price 
upon,  and  to  dispose  of  to  the  public,  at  such  price,  any  and  all  pub- 
lications of  the  Bureau,  including  reports,  bulletins,  maps,  registers, 
€tc.  The  sum  derived  from  such  disposition  must  be  accounted  for  and 
used  as  a  revolving  printing  and  publishing  fund  for  other  reports, 
bulletins,  maps,  registers,  etc.  The  prices  fixed  must  approximate 
the  actual  cost  of  printing  and  issuing  the  respective  reports,  bulletins, 
maps,  reg'isters,  etc.,  without  reference  to  the  cost  of  obtaining  and 
preparing  the  information  embraced  therein." 

Price.      Postage. 

Report  XI— 1892,  First  Biennial %i  00  |0  15 

Report  XIII— 1896,  Third  Biennial 100  20 

Bulletin  No.    5 — "Cyanide  Process"  (4th  edition),  bound. 60  08 

Bulletin  No.    6— "Gold  Mill  Practices  in  California"  (.3d  edition) .50  04 

Bulletin  Xo.    9 — "Mine  Drainage,  Pumps,  etc.,"  bound 60  08 

Bulletin  Xo.  1.5— "Map  of  Oil  City  Oil  Fields,  Fresno  County,  Cal." 05  02 

Bulletin  Xo.  16 — "Genesis  of  Petroleum  and  Asphaltum  in  California," 

(3d  edition) 30  03 

Bulletin  Xo.  18— "Mother  Lode  Region  in  California" 35    '  06 

Bulletin  Xo.  23— "Copper  Resources  of  California" .50  12 

Bulletin  Xo.  24— "Saline  Deposits  of  California" 50  10 

Bulletin  Xo.  27 — "Quicksilver  Resources  of  California" 75  08 

Bulletin  Xo.  30 — "Bibliography  Relating  to  the  Geology,  Palaeontology 

and  Mineral  Resources  of  California,  including  List  of  Maps". .50  10 

Bulletin  Xo.  31— "Chemical  Analyses  of  California  Petroleum" ...  02 

Bulletin  Xo.  32— "Production  and  Use  of  California  Petroleum". 75  08 

Bulletin  Xo.  33— "Mineral  Production  of  California— 1903" ...  02 


168  CALIFORNIA    STATE    MINING   BUREAU. 

Price.  Postage. 

Bulletin  No.  34— "Mineral  Production  of  California  for  17  Years" _  $0  02 

Bulletin  No.  ;35 — "Mines  and  Minerals  of  California" 04 

Bulletin  No.  36— "Gold  Dredging  in  California" |0  50  (K> 

Map  of  Mother  Lode 05  02 

Gold  Production  in  California  from  1848  to  1904 ...  02 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Plumas  County. 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Siskiyou  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Trinity  County ...      25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Lake  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Nevada  County 25  08- 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Placer  County. 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  El  Dorado  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Inyo  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Shasta  County .      25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  San  Bernardino  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  San  Diego  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Sierra  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Amador  County. 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Tuolumne  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Butte  County.. 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Mariposa  County 25  08 

Register  of  Mines,  with  Map,  Kern  County. 25  08 

Register  of  Oil  Wells,  with  Map,  Los  Angeles  City.. 35  02 

Relief  and  Mineral  Map  of  California 25  05 

Map  of  Calaveras  County 25  08- 

In  Preparation : 

Structural  and  Industrial  Materials  of  California. 

Samples  of  any  mineral  found  in  the   State  may  be  sent  to  the 

Bureau  -for  identification,  and  the  same  will  be  classified  free  of  charge. 
It  must  be  understood,  however,  that  no  assays,  or  quantitative  deter- 
minations, ivill  be  made.  Samples  should  be  in  lump  form  if  possible^ 
and  the  outside  of  package  should  be  marked  plainly  with  name  of 
sender,  postoffice  address,  etc.,  and  a  stamp  should  be  inclosed  for  reply. 


INDEX. 


Page 

Abalone 111,  118,  119,  120 

ABC  Mine 49,  140,  141 

Achroite  54,  58 

Adamantine  Spar 45 

Aei'oides 48 

Agalmatolite 100 

Agate 64,  71,  73 

Agatized  Wood 11,  64,  77,  78 

Alabaster 103 

Albite 17,  61, 

78,  79,  80,  127,  133,  142,  144,  146 

Allanite 99 

Almandite 50,  51,  52,  53 

Amber 110 

Amblygonite 55,  59,  62,  87,  122,  133 

Amethiste  Basaltine 47,  86 

Ametbyst 64,  67 

Andalusite • 34,  98 

Andradite 50,  51 

Anhydrite 102 

Anthracite 104 

Apatite 102 

Aphrizite 54 

Apophyllite 97 

Aquamarine 48,  49,  137 

Aragonite 110,  111,  112,  114 

Architectural  Marble 111 

Arkansite 106 

Asparagus  Stone 102 

Asteria 45 

Asteriated  Quartz 64 

Aventurine 64,  78,  79 

Axinite 13,  96 

Azurite 53,  106 

Bardiglio 111,  112 

Basanite 64 

Beryl  13,  14, 

16,  25,  27,  48,  49,  50,  52,  59,  62,  86,  87,  114, 
122, 132,  138, 140,  141, 142,  147, 148,  149,  152 

Bloodstone 64 

Blue  Carbonate  of  Copper 106 

Brazilian  Emerald 54 

Brazilian  Sapphire 54 

Bronzite  80,  114 

Brookite 106 

Brown  Coal 101 

12 — MB 


Cairngorm    --_ 64 

Calcite 35,98,  110,  111 

Calif ornite 12,  53,  93,  94,  95,  155 

California  Onyx 111,  112 

Cannel 104 

Carbonate  of  Lime 110 

Carbuncle . 51 

Carnelian 64 

Cassiterite 105 

Caterina  Mine 132,  133 

Cat's-eye 60,64,  114 

Chalcedony 64,  70,  71,  73  -  ' 

Chiastolite 98 

Chloromelanite 96 

Chlorophane 102 

Chromite- 51,  104 

Chrysoberyllus 34,  48,  114 

ClirysocoUa 101,  102 

Chrysolithus 48,  54 

Chrysopal 12,  74,  76 

Chrysoprase___.12,  31,  33,  35,  64,  73,  154,  155 

Cinnamon  Stone 50,  52,  53 

Cipolin 111 

Citrine 64 

Coahuila  District 25,  53,  58,  69,  121 

Coal 104 

Colophonite 51 

Columbia  Gem  Mine 63,  122,  123 

Columbite 50,  62,  87,  132 

Coosa  District 52 

Corundum 35,  45.  114 

Crystal  Gem  Mine 49,  152 

Datolite 52,  97 

Davidsonite 48 

Demantoid 51 

Diamond 11,  28,  29, 

30,  34,  35,  36,  37,  38,  39,  40,  41.  42,  43,  44 

Diopside 80,  98 

Dos  Cabezas  Mine 27,  150t^ 

Dravite 54 

Dumortierite  Quartz 64,  71,  114 

Egyptian  Marble  or  Jasper 111,  112 

Emerald  -.. 48 

Enstatite 80,  114 

Epidote 13.  25.  34.  71.  87,  m 


170 


Page. 

Erythrite 71 

EsmeraUla  Mine 49,  63,  136 

Kssonite 13,  14,  26, 

50,  52,  53,  128,  139,  142,  143,  149,  150,  152 

False  Emerald 102,106 

False  Lapis  Lazuli 98 

Fano   Kunzite— Tourmaline    Mining- 
Co 49,  58,  59,  63,  66,  121,  122 

Feldspar 78 

Fisli-eye  Stone  97 

Fire  Marble 

Fire  Opal 75 

Fleches  d'amour 64 

Fluorite 


Garnet 12,  13,  14,  16, 

26,  35,  50,  51,  52,  53,  87,  139,  148,  149, 

Gem  Mines  in  California 

Gem  INIine  No.  1 

Golden  Beryl 

Gold  Quartz 64 

Goshenite 

Gothite 64, 

Gothite  Quartz 

Graphic  Granite  . 

Green  Carbonate  of  Copper 

Grenat  Siriam 

Grossularite 50,  51 

Gua  r  n  a  c  c  i  n  e 

Gypsum 

Halloysite : 

Hebrew  Stone 

Heliotrope 

Hematite  104,  105, 

Hercules  Mine 49,  53,  147,  148, 

Heriart  Mine 24,  31,  56,  62,  84,  132, 

Hiddenite 

Himalaya  Mining  Co 12,  49, 

65,  133,  134,  153, 

Hornblende  Qviartz 64,  70,  86, 

Hyacinth 50, 

Hyacinthozontes 

Hyalite 31,75,76, 

Hydrolite 64,  71, 

Hydrophane 

Hypersthene 80, 


Ichthyophthulmite  _■. 97 

Idocrase     93 

llmenite 104,  105 

Indicolite 54 

lolite --     34 

Iron  Garnets 51 

Jacinta  ' 51 

Jacumba  District 26,  49,  53,  95,  150,  1.51 

Jade 71,96 


Page. 

Jadeite 96- 

Jasper 64,  69,  71,  75 

Jasper  Agate 64,  75 

Jasperized  Wood 64 

Jet 104 

Kunzite 14,  16,  25,  34,  .35,  .59, 

61,  62,  63,  81,  82-93,  U)0,  121,  122,  126,  129 

Labradorite 80,  114 

Lapis  Lazuli 98 

Lazulite 98 

Lazurite 98 

Lepidolite-20,  22,  24,  34,  49,  55,  59,  60,  79,  83. 
86, 100,  101,  122,  125,  127, 133,  134,  137,  142 

Lignite 104 

Limonite 104,  105 

Little  Three  Mine 142,  143,  144,  145 

Lookout  Mine 49,53,  148,149 

Lumaohelle 111 

Lydian  Stone 64 

Made --- 98- 

Mack  Mine 48,  49,  6.5,  1.37,  138,  139 

Madreporic  Marble 111,  112 

Malachite 53,69,  106- 

Mandelato HI 

Manganese  Deposits 142,  146,  152- 

Marble 110,  111 

Mare  Kanite 114 

Mariposite..  .-.  71,  97 

McFall  Mine 149 

Melanite 51 

Menaccanite 104 

Mesa  Grande  Mine 59,  ISa 

Mexican  Onyx 111 

Milky  Opal -.     75 

Mocha  Stone 64 

Moonstone 71,  78,  79' 

Morion  64 

Moss  Agate 64,  7.> 

Moss  Jasper 75 

Moss  Opal 75 

Muriacite 102 

Muscovite  Mica 48,  87,  127, 

128,  130,  133,  141,  144 

Napoleonite 112' 

Native  Ultramarine 98 

Naylor-Yanderburg  Mine..  129,  130,  131,  132 

Nephrite 96 

Noble  Opal 75 

Novacidite 64     , 

Obsidian 114* 

Onegite 64,  105- 

Onvx 64 

Onvx  Marble 111,112 

Oolite 111,112 


INDEX. 


171 


Page. 

Opal ..12,75,76 

Opaline ---     75 

Opal  Agate 75 

Opalized  Wood 11,  75,  77,  78 

Orbicular  Diorite 14,  15,  112,  113 

Oriental  Onyx 111 

Oriental  Ruby 45 

Orthoclase 79 

Ouvarovite 50,  51,  52,  53 

Pagedite 100 

Pala  Chief  :Mine.25,  31,  55,  60,  61,  87,  126, 127 

Pala  District 24,25,30, 

31,  55,  81,  84,  101,  124,  125 

Pearl 34,  110,  115,  116,  117,  118 

Pebbles,  Pescadero  113 

Pectolite 88,95,96 

Peridot  of  Ceylon 54 

Peristerite 78,  79 

Pisolite 111 

Plasma 64 

Porter 111 

Precious  Opal 75 

Prospect  Mine 53,  150 

Pyro-Emerald  102 

Pyrope 50,  51,  52,  53 

Quartz.  ...34,  61,  62,  63,  65,  66,  67-73,  86,*  87,  97 

Rainbow  Agate 

Ramona  District  ..25,  26,  49,  53,  63,  140, 

Rhodolite 

Rock  Crystal 11,64, 

87,  105,  127,  141,  144, 

Romanzovite 

Rose  Beryl 

Rose  Quartz 12,21,64,  67,  68,  69. 

Rosolite 

Roval  Agate 

Rubellite 22,  23,  54,  .55,  79,  100,  101, 

Rubino  de  Rocca 

Ruby 

Ruin  ilarble 

Rutilated  Quartz 64, 


Sagenite 64, 

San  Diego  Desert  Marble  Co 150,  151, 

San  Diego  Gem  Co. 

San  Diego  Tourmaline  Mining  Co.  133, 

San  Pedro  Claim 

Sapphire  Chalcedony 

Sapphire 

Sard 

Satin  Spar 103, 

Schorlomite 

Selenite 

Siberite 

Siderite .65 


Sienna 111 

Silicitied  Wood 77 

Smoky  Quartz. ...21,  33,  62,  64,  67,  69,  70,  86 

Spanish  Topaz 64 

Spessartite..50,51, 139,  142,  144,  146,  148,  150 

Spinel 47,  48,  132 

Spodumene 13,  14, 

48,  62,  81.  82,  83,  84,  86,  126,  127,  129,  132 

Stalactite 111 

Stalagmite 111 

Star  Ruby ..     45 

Star  Sapphire 45 

Star  Stone 45 

Statuary  Marble 111 

Stewart  Mine 125 

Succinite 50,  52,110' 

Surprise  Mine 53,  146 

Talc 35- 

Thetis  Hairstone  64 

Thulite 99 

Titanic  Iron 104 

Toad's-eye  Stone 105 

Toltec  Gem  Co. 152,  1,53 

Topaz 14,  15,  25, 

26,  35,  46,  47,  52,  62,  92,  139,  143,  144,  147 

Topazolite 31,  50,  53 

Touchstone 64 

Tourmaline 13,  14,  16,  21,  23,  24,  2.5, 

27,  33,  35,  49,  50,  52-63,  69,  70,  79,  86. 
87,  99,  100,  121,  122,  124, 125,  127,  128,  129, 
1.S2,  133,  134,  135,  136,  140.  142,  144,  147 

Tourmaline  Quartz . 64 

Tourmaline  King  Mine 63,  129 

Tourmaline  Queen  Mine 63,  127,  128,  129 

Trautwinite 51,  .52 

Tripe  Stone 102 

Triphane 82 

Turquoise 12,  13,  33, 

34,  107,  108,  109,  110,  152,  153 

Ultramarine  _ 98 

Uralian  Emerald 51 

Uvarovite 50,  51,  52,  53 

Verde  Antique 111,  112 

Vermeille 51 

Vesuvianite 12,  26,  52,  53,  93,  94,  96,  155 

Vulpinite 102 

Willemite . 88 

Wiluite 50 

Wood  Opal .... 75,  77 

Wood  Tin 105 

Woolastonite 88 

Zircon 34,  50 

Zoisite 99 


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